Shiver
by TimeIsOnYourSide
Summary: Syd and Vaughn are best friends and freshman at San Francisco State University. Does Syd have the guts to tell Vaughn how she really feels about him? NOW FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Sydney and Vaughn are both 19 and freshman at San Francisco State University. They've been best friends since they were little but suddenly Sydney is now having feelings for Vaughn. Sydney is an English major while Vaughn is majoring in Political Science. Syd lives with Francie in an apartment and Vaughn lives with Weiss not too far from Syd's place. The story picks up in the beginning of April. Most of this will probably be in Syd's POV. I haven't decided yet if I will do Vaughn's POV.

Timeline: AU

Author's Notes: I don't know why Syd and Vaughn go to SF State, I just randomly picked it. I was watching an episode of Laguna Beach and Stephen was going to SF State so I decided to pick that school. Besides, it's the only school I know in the area other than Cal.

Disclaimer: None of the Alias characters belong to me. They belong to JJ and Bad Robot. Although, I wish Michael Vaughn belonged to me. :)

Chapter 1.

It happened. The one thing that I feared most in this whole world hit me. I knew it was going to happen to me sometime, I just didn't think it would happen to me like this, at the age of 19, when I'm away at college for my first year. I think I'm in love. No wait, I don't think I'm in love, I'm in denial about it. Love isn't supposed to exist. Everyone and everything has let me down in my life. I lost my mother when I was 9 years old in a car accident and it nearly ripped my heart out of my chest. When I was 16, my boyfriend Danny who I absolutely adored, moved away to New York and I never spoke to him again. My father, who says he loves me, is never there for me. He's always gone on business trips and won't return for days. It was bad enough growing up without a mother. I had to grow up without a father too. That's why I'm skeptical about love because it has always let me down.

All of that is now going to change because I have that stupid tingly feeling around him and his face is never far off from my mind. All I wanna do is just be with him and smell his cologne on his neck. Feel his arms around me and kissing the top of my head. Him. Michael C. Vaughn.

Vaughn is my best friend and we grew up together in LA. He was always there for me when we were kids. When my mother died he comforted me because he knew what it was like to lose a parent. He lost his father when he was 6 years old. I never used to have feelings for him. It just happened. We both decided to go to San Francisco State after high school because we felt it wasn't too far away from home. I moved into an apartment with this girl I met named Francie and Vaughn moved into an apartment 5 minutes away from me with this guy Weiss. Francie and Weiss were both incoming freshman. They both had ads in the paper looking for roommates and Vaughn and I jumped on the opportunity right away. The thought of the dorms freaked us out. The first semester of school was great. I studied hard and got good grades. Vaughn and I hung out almost everyday and we had so much fun doing touristy things around the city. It all started last night when we were out getting pizza after going to the movies.

_FLASHBACK-  
"Man, I kinda miss LA and the nice weather. San Francisco is a little too foggy and too cold for me." Vaughn said as he chewed on his third slice of pizza.  
"I know. I miss it too. But at least we get to go through being away from home together." It was true. I wouldn't know what I would do without my best friend.  
_

"_Oh, Syd. I forgot to ask you. I have an extra ticket to the Giants game Tuesday night because Weiss bailed on me. Apparently he's failing Phil 10 and is getting tutored that night. Do you wanna go? I know you think baseball is boring."  
"I don't think it's boring, I just think it's slow." I answered.  
"Slow is boring to you Bristow."  
"Well, ok. Besides, baseball guys are hot."  
"It's a date then." Vaughn flashed me a smile and then turned to watch the baseball game playing on the TV. It was then I noticed how white and straight his teeth were. _

'_Wow, Vaughn has nice teeth.' I said to myself. I continued to further examine him. He had one of those really strong jaws and an adorable chin dimple. His green eyes looked amazing next to his green hooded sweatshirt. His blonde hair was perfectly disheveled.  
'Woah, woah. What am I saying? Am I checking out Vaughn? I can't be checking out Vaughn! He's my best friend. My really really hot best friend. I gotta get these thoughts out of my head.' _

"_Why are you staring at me?" Vaughn questioned as he caught me in a daze.  
"What? Oh. I wasn't staring at you. I was just thinking." I put my head down cause I knew my face was turning bright red.  
"It's getting late. Are you ready to head back?" He asked me.  
"Yeah sure, we should get going." _

_I grabbed my purse and put on my jacket while Vaughn went up to the register to pay. He never let me pay for food. He was always such a gentleman. As we were walking out of the restaurant I felt him put his hand on my back and it sent a shock up my spine. _

'_What is wrong with me? It's only Vaughn. My Vaughn. Hmm, my Vaughn. I kinda like that.' I shook my head. My mind is trying to play tricks on me. _

_The whole ride back to my apartment I sat stiff in the passenger's seat. I suddenly didn't know how to act anymore. I glanced over to watch Vaughn driving a couple of times and every time I turned back I kept thinking to myself how hot he is. He is the perfect guy. Why didn't I notice this before? He's extremely sweet, smart, considerate, and oh so hot. _

"_I'll walk you to your door." He said as he jolted me from my thoughts. I didn't even notice the car stop. _

_As we were walking to my apartment complex I felt him put his hand on my back again. I could feel the warmth of his hand through my jacket and it felt great. _

"_Thanks for the ride and dinner Vaughn." I said while rummaging through my purse for my keys.  
"No problem. I'll call you tomorrow." He kissed my cheek and turned to walk away. When he was finally out of sight I let the breath out that I didn't know I was holding._

**Reviews appreciated :) Tell me how you like it. I know it's a little short, but I just wanted to give an introduction. The next chapter will be posted shortly.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

I woke up at 7:30 am the next day. With my thoughts only focused on Vaughn and why I was having feelings for him all of a sudden caused me to toss and turn all night. With it being a Saturday morning, it was way too early for me to be awake. I tried to fall asleep for the next 15 minutes, but it didn't work. I had to talk to Francie.

"Fran! Fran! Wake up!" I said softly as I walked into her room.  
"Syd? What's wrong? Is there someone in the apartment?" She jolted straight up in bed.  
"No. There's no one in the apartment. I just need to talk to you. It is important."  
"What's so important that you had to wake me up at almost 8am? I don't have to get up for another 3 hours." She flopped back down onto her pillows while I sat at the edge of the bed.  
"Francie, I have a crush on a guy."  
"So you're finally admitting that you like Michael? Wow. Took you long enough." I sat there stunned. How did Francie know?  
"How did you know it was Vaughn?" I questioned.  
"Seriously, Syd. You've been living with me for 7 months now. I see the two of you. You're with each other almost everyday. When you're with him you guys are always touching each other and have all these inside jokes. I see it in both of you. The way you look at each other says it all. Weiss and I almost throw up our food every time we all hang out because you guys are so sweet with each other." Ok, so it was obvious to everyone else but me. Why have I been so blind?  
"Really? You could see that I liked him? Do you think he feels the same way? Last night I just started to realize how great of a guy he is."  
"So you just realized how good looking he is last night? Cause' there are about 10 girls in our Chemistry Lab that noticed since the start of the semester."  
"I know Fran. It's just, I'm not supposed to feel this way. He's my best friend. I've known him forever. If I screw this up I could lose the one person I need the most." I tucked a loose strand behind my ear.  
"You won't screw this up. Trust me, you just need to tell him how you feel. Besides, you're gonna feel a lot better when you let it all out."  
"Thanks Francie. I'll let you go back to bed now."

The rest of the weekend went by in a blur. I avoided Vaughn as much as possible. Not because I didn't want to see him, because I sure as hell did. But I just didn't know what to say to him yet. It's not like I can just go up to him and say, "Hey Vaughn! Guess what, I like you now. Do you wanna be my boyfriend?" He'd laugh in my face and we'd never speak again.

I avoided him all the way till Tuesday morning when we had our Chemistry Lab with Francie and Weiss. Of course Vaughn had to be my lab partner. Weiss insisted at the beginning of the year that Vaughn be my partner so he could be partners with Francie and copy everything off of her. It was an Introduction to Chemistry class. Everyone had to take it since it was a General Education class.

For the first half hour we went over our quiz last week and I sat there stealing glances at Vaughn and sweating profusely. I think he caught me staring at him caused he mouthed the words, "Are you ok?" I just nodded my head and looked to the right.

That's when I caught Lauren Reed staring at Vaughn. She made it so blatantly obvious. You could tell she was practically undressing him with her eyes. I suddenly got agitated and clenched my fists on the lab table till my hands were turning white. Just looking at the way she was dressed made me angry. Honestly, who wears a halter top with their bra straps showing? And please girlfriend, if you're gonna try to be a blonde, please make sure your eyebrows are the same color. While still glaring at Lauren, I narrowed my eyes and gave her the 'back off my man' look. Suddenly, I felt a hand covering mine. I look up to see Vaughn smiling at me.

"You look a little tense Syd. Are you ok?" He didn't remove his hand from mine. I didn't mind at all.  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Lauren Reed was giving me dirty looks and I got a little upset."  
"It's ok. I think she's jealous of you anyways. She's been bugging Weiss for my number apparently."  
"Oh, haha. I saw her looking at you." I giggled nervously. Seriously, I giggled. I don't giggle.  
"Yeah whatever, she's a snob," He patted my hand twice and then removed it. I suddenly missed the warmth of his hand. "We're still on for tonight, right?"  
"Of course. What time are you going to pick me up?"  
"The game starts at 7:15 so I'll be at your place at 6." Vaughn gave me a quick smile and then turned back to listen to our professor.

I seriously wanted to look back at Lauren and stick my tongue out at her like we were three years old. For sure she saw the interaction between me and Vaughn. But I just turned back to her and smiled. She gave me a disgusted look and started to pick at her fingernails. Serves her right for trying to get with my Vaughn. 

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

By the time I got back to my apartment I was exhausted from not getting any sleep the night before. I crawled on to my bed and drifted off into a peaceful slumber. The slamming of the front door woke me up around 4:30. 'Woah I slept for three hours. I must've been extremely tired.' I could hear Francie talking to someone in the kitchen so I got up to see who it was.

"Hey sleepyhead!" Weiss said cheerfully as he looked into our fridge.  
"Hey Weiss, what are you doing here?"  
"What? I can't come over and hang out with my two favorite ladies?" If there's one thing about Eric Weiss that everyone should know is that he always tries to be charming.  
"No Eric is here so I can tutor him in Phil 10." Francie explained.  
"Is Vaughn here?" I hoped he wasn't. I know he's seen me in my sweats and t-shirt before, but I'm sure I looked like a wreck.  
"No Vaughn's not here," Weiss answered sarcastically. "Am I just you and Vaughn's messenger? Is there ever a time where you want to have a conversation with me for five minutes without bringing Vaughn up."  
"Weiss, how are you failing Intro to Philosophy? It's a GE class." I took that class last semester with Francie. We both passed easily.  
"It's at 7:30 in the morning. I can't bring myself to get out of bed. Besides, now you and your French lover can go to the baseball game tonight." I nearly spit out the water I was drinking.  
"Francie! Did you tell him I liked Vaughn?" I said frantically.  
"You like Vaughn! I was just kidding, you know. Francie didn't say anything to me." Weiss started to laugh to himself.  
"Please Weiss, don't tell Vaughn anything. Really, I mean it. If he's gonna hear about it, it's going to be from me." I latched onto his arm pleading.  
"Relax Syd, I'm not going to say anything. I've known since I met you guys. Here's an idea, tell him how you feel."  
"That's exactly what I told her!" Francie said as she grabbed the chips off the top of the fridge.  
"If you're all worked up about this date as much as Vaughn is, then believe me, he'll be thrilled to hear what you have to say."

I skipped out of the kitchen with a huge smile plastered on my face. It took me a much longer time to figure out what I would wear. Usually this wouldn't be a problem cause going out anywhere with Vaughn never bothered me. Now it is all different. 'I want to look cute tonight.' I thought to myself. But, this still is a baseball game. I can't look too overdressed.

**Vaughn's POV**

I came home from my Government class around 3pm and jumped right on my bed. For awhile I just stared at the ceiling thinking about nothing in particular. Spring Break was coming up in a little over a week. Instead of flying down to LA, maybe Syd and I could drive back home. It'll be fun. Spending time with her is never a dull moment.

I picked up the picture frame sitting on my nightstand next to my bed. It was the picture of Syd and I sitting on a bench in my backyard last summer. My arm is around her shoulders and her hand is on my leg. My mom took it and put it in two frames for the both of us.

I dusted of the right side of the frame as I continued to stare at it. 'She's so beautiful.' I thought to myself. I couldn't remember a time where she didn't look beautiful. Ever since my hormones started to kick in during Middle School all I could see was her. It's one of the reasons I've never had a girlfriend in my life. She's the one I want. Not to brag, but I've had plenty of opportunities. She's so amazing without even knowing it.

Everything about her makes me smile. The way she tries to act so strong, yet she is so vulnerable on the inside. I've always wanted to protect her and be there for her no matter what. After all, I was her ally.

That year she was with Danny nearly killed me. I wanted so badly to hate him because he was Syd's boyfriend. But, he was a pretty nice guy and he treated her well. He better have treated her well or else I would've socked him in the face. Thank god he's now out of the picture. I wish I could just tell her how I feel. But, I figure, if she doesn't have feelings for me now, then she probably never will.

I groaned as I got off my bed. I wondered why Weiss wasn't home yet, but then remembered Francie was tutoring him. I hope he doesn't tell Syd anything. It's not like Weiss is the best person at keeping his mouth shut.

I threw off my shirt and jeans and trudged to the bathroom to take a shower. I had to smell good for Syd tonight. Hopefully something good will happen with this date.

**Syd's POV**

I decided on my warm, brown, gap jacket and jeans. But instead of putting my hair up in a ponytail like I always do, I wore it down. I finished up by putting on some cover up, mascara, and lip-gloss. After examining myself in the mirror I shook my head. 'Vaughn is gonna know I'm dressing up for him.' This was quite different from my usual jeans and a sweatshirt.

When I walked out in the family room to wait for Vaughn, both Francie and Weiss lifted their heads from the books.

"Syd you look great!" Francie started to clap her hands.  
"Yeah really Sydney. If Vaughn rejects you tonight, you can call me." Francie hit Weiss in the arm causing him to yelp. I suddenly felt self-conscious.  
"It's not too much? I mean, I know this is still really casual, except, it's a little off for me. Plus, Vaughn's gonna notice. He might freak out!" I started to get hot again.  
"Vaughn's not gonna freak out. He's going to think you look great. And, if he doesn't, then I'll kick him in the balls." Francie could always put a smile on my face.

Just then, there was a knock at my door. When I opened it up I could see Vaughn was a slightly taken back by my attire. On the other hand, he looked so good. He had a backwards baseball hat on with a white Adidas jacket and jeans. Vaughn never tried hard to look good, but he always does.

"Hey.." I managed to peep out.  
"Hey…" We just stood there looking at each other. I don't think I've ever been able to render Vaughn speechless until tonight.  
"You guys can stop staring at each other and leave now!" Weiss shouted out. I put my head down to hide how red my face was. As I closed the door and walked down the stairs Vaughn finally started to talk.  
"What was that all about?"  
"I dunno. You know Weiss. He's always trying to crack jokes." I laughed nervously.  
"Yeah, he always is. I like your jacket, is it new?"  
"No, well I got it for Christmas from my dad. I've never had time to wear it." It was amazing how much my dad didn't know me from all these years. It was a nice, lovely jacket. It's just something I wouldn't normally wear. I would've settled for some comfy gap pajamas instead.  
"Oh ok. Well, you look really good." Vaughn pulled his car door open for me as I slid in. 'He said I looked really good! Omg Ok, he's getting in the car. Wipe this dumb smile off of your face!'

This was going to be a very interesting night.

_Thank you for the reviews so far everyone :) I'm posting a new chap since Alias is on tonight!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

**Vaughn's POV**

The car ride to the ballpark consisted of me doing most of the talking and the sound of The Fictions playing in the background. My friend from home sent me a CD of theirs and I ended up really like them. I hope they become immensely popular one of these days.

I suddenly started to think about home and all those old high school memories. For some reason I kept thinking about all of those Christmas nights spent with my mom by the fireplace. She would make me gingerbread cookies and these little sugar cookies shaped like Christmas trees. Christmas was always a little sad considering it was just mom and I. We both missed dad so much.

I also remembered watching The Christmas Story over and over on TV. It was Syd and mine's favorite movie. I never wanted a BB gun when I was a kid after seeing that movie. I was too scared I would shoot my eye out like Ralphie. It reminded me of that one time I snuck over to Syd's to watch it with her in the middle of the night.

"Do you remember that one Christmas eve that we stayed up to watch 24 hours of a Christmas Story?" I asked Syd laughing

"Of course I remember. You snuck over to my house. How many times did that movie play during that night? 3? 4?"

"Something like that. I was too scared of your Dad coming up to your room to find me there. I could hardly concentrate on the movie."

"What? Vaughn, my dad loves you." It was true. Jack always seemed pretty fond of me. If only he knew how I felt about his daughter. I remember him asking me to watch out for Danny and make sure he didn't pull any slick moves on Sydney.

"Your Dad scares me Syd. I saw how he was with Danny. He wanted to take him in the backyard and shoot him with an AK47."

"He only wanted to do that because Danny was my boyfriend and he liked me." The smile from my face faded. I didn't know how to respond to that. Just thinking of Jack Bristow with a gun literally scared the daylights out of me.

"Yeah… right…." I became silent after that.

**Syd's POV**

We sat in comfortable silence the rest of the ride. By the time we parked and were walking into the ballpark, it was way too crowded. Vaughn handed me my ticket as we neared the entrance. Crowds of people kept walking into me and stepping on the back of my shoes. I put my hands on Vaughn's waist unconsciously to make sure I didn't lose him. By the time I noticed what I did we reached the ticket taker. I immediately removed my hands like his body was on fire. That was dangerous territory. It's bad enough that just looking at him makes me melt into a puddle. Feeling his fit body in my hands would for sure make me die.

It reminds me of that one time junior year that I walked by the weight room and saw Vaughn lifting weights shirtless. It was the first time I really saw him half naked. He was on the basketball and baseball team after all. I couldn't help but stare at his defined abs. I think even a small gasp came from my mouth as it dropped open. But, I walked away and let it pass. Danny was my boyfriend at the time. I didn't want to do anything that would make him angry.

We were having so much fun at the game. I thought I would be acting all uptight and tense but Vaughn and I were talking, laughing and I kept asking him questions about the game. In the middle of the fourth inning I didn't understand one of the rules.

"Why was the hitter automatically out when he hit it to the shortstop?" I asked.

"Because it's the Infield Fly Rule Syd."  
"What's the Infield Fly Rule?" All of this baseball terminology was making me confused.

"It's when the hitter hits a pop-up in the infield and there are less than 2 outs with one or more runners on base. That hitter is automatically out. This rule prevents the defense from purposely dropping the ball to get two outs."

"So even if the fielder drops it, the hitter is still out?"

"Exactly." Vaughn answered.

I was starting to understand the game a little bit. I had a great teacher. Every time something happened during the game and I had my confused look on my face, Vaughn would explain everything to me. He's so considerate. After all, he's the one that taught me everything I needed to know about hockey. We were 14 and it was two days after New Year's. Vaughn took me to the rink because he was tired of me not knowing how to play hockey.

Flashback 

_Vaughn skated around me._

_" Okay. The key, obviously, is balance, right? So don't worry so much about the puck and just make sure your feet are planted on the ice and then..." The puck swished into the net. " ...Just a nice follow-through." _

_"Show-off." I smirked. _

_"Yeah, a little bit". _

_Vaughn skated back to the net with a big smile on his face as I attempted to skate towards the net and shoot the puck._

_"Bristow's got the puck! She crosses the blue line! She's at the top of the circle! She shoots, she scores! " Suddenly I lost my balance and landed right in Vaughn's arms as he caught me on the way down._

_"What--oh my God, what was that?" He asked surprised._

_"I didn't say I was completely incompetent." _

_"You've done this before."_

_" No, I told you, I haven't skated since I was five." _

_" No, I don't believe you." _

_"Swear to God, my mother took me." Bringing up my mother always put an awkward silence between us since we both never liked to talk about it._

_"Well, you're better than you should be."_

_End Flashback_

By the time the middle of the 6th inning rolled around, Frank Sinatra's _"Strangers in The Night" _filled the stadium speakers.

_Strangers in the night exchanging glances  
Wond'ring in the night  
What were the chances we'd be sharing love  
Before the night was through._

The jumbotron in centerfield started to show couples and in the corner of the screen there was a kiss counter. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out they were showing couples and trying to get as many couples to kiss each other as they could. It was fairly amusing to watch. The crowd would cheer every time a couple kissed. If they weren't paying attention and didn't see themselves on the big screen, the crowd started to boo them.

Vaughn and I continued to laugh while watching the jumbotron until the two of our faces appeared on the screen. Suddenly, I wasn't smiling anymore. It was obvious the cameraman thought Vaughn and I were a couple. All around us different people were yelling.

"Kiss your girl!" "Lay one on her son!" "Will you two just kiss already!" I started to panic. The whole stadium wanted us to kiss. I wanted to kiss him, but not with 40,000 people watching us. Oh god, what do I do?

"Umm, Syd. I think the crowd wants us to kiss. I don't want to get booed." Vaughn turned to me. He looked nervous, amused, and scared all at the same time.

"Uh, ok." I turned to him and leaned in slowly. As our lips met softly I put my hand on his cheek. His stubble tickled my palm. It was a quick kiss, but it was still very sweet. Just as soon as it started, it ended. People around us were cheering and some even patted our backs. My face turned bright red, as I could no longer bring my eyes to meet his.

**Vaughn's POV**

Whoever the camerman is tonight must be someone sent from heaven. I'll make sure to throw him a high five on the way out if I see him. Thanks to him Sydney and I kissed. Ok, so it wasn't in the most romantic of places but it still happened. Plus, she put her hand on my cheek while we were kissing. That has to mean something right ?

I looked over to her and she didn't seem grossed out about it. Right now she's just sitting there in her seat staring straight foward. She looks a little stiff. Ok, she's not talking to me. Should I say something ? No, I shouldn't, I might ruin the moment.

I wanted to kiss her so badly all of those times growing up. It's not like we haven't kissed before. We just haven't kissed on the lips. Well, there was this one time I went to kiss her goodbye and she accidentally turned her head and I caught part of her mouth. I think that's the closest we've ever came.

And really, she didn't have to kiss me on the lips just now. She could've turned her cheek and that would've counted. Or we didn't have to kiss at all and could've gotten booed by all those damn people. She willingly kissed me on the lips. Oh god, she tasted so good. She tasted like cherries. Must've been that cherry lip balm she always uses. I'll make sure to thank Smuckers too.

Maybe I should say something. Or maybe I should just sit here and look like an idiot. When did I start sounding like such a girl ? Say something Vaughn! Say something ! Oh no, I can't look her in the eye anymore. I hope she doesn't feel weird. This is so not fun.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you for all the reviews :) _

_And Total Vaughn Lover, to answer your question, I know it's a little odd that Vaughn knows a lot about baseball, but it's because of where the story starts. I wanted to start it in April so I could have Spring Break play into the storyline. Since baseball season is in April and it's my favorite sport, I had to add it in, haha. Since it's spring time, I just thought it would sound weird if they were going to a hockey game. If my story makes it to winter time, then for sure there will be some hockey. :) Hope that helps. _

**Chapter 5.**

I just kissed Vaughn. Omg, I JUST KISSED VAUGHN! I should be happy. I am happy. His lips were so soft and he kinda tasted like the root beer he was drinking. I should say something. I can't say something. He only did it because we were forced into the situation. Oh no… He's speaking to me.

"Syd? C'mon. It wasn't that bad, was it? You look a little flushed." He said as he nudged me with his elbow.

"No! It wasn't bad at all. You know, it's just because it was in front of everyone. 40,000 people watching you was a little overwhelming." It was true, having tons of people staring at you while you kiss the man of your dreams didn't help the already messed up situation.

"Oh ok. I just didn't want you to feel weird."

"Weird? No, of course not. It's never been weird between us. We're best friends." Yeah right, this was by far the weirdest situation we've ever been put it.

"Yeah, you're right." Vaughn tussled my hair a little bit and then turned back to watch the game.

Tussling my hair isn't the exact way to show he had the same feelings for me. It was one of those things you do to your little sisters. Really, why would Vaughn feel the same way I do? He's absolutely gorgeous. He could have any girl he wanted. Even those Victoria Secret Models who parade around in the underwear during commercials. Eww, can I please hit them? One of them could be Vaughn's future girlfriend. No one really looks like that.

He did brush off our kiss like it was no big deal, probably because it wasn't a big deal to him. It was a big deal to me. That's because I'm completely crazy about him. I just never realized it until now. Maybe if he had a girlfriend during high school I would've went into a jealous rage and realized that he's the one I want. I did go into a jealous rage after I noticed Lauren Reed staring at him.

The rest of the game seemed dull to me. There were too many thoughts running through my head. It sure looked like Vaughn and the rest of the crowd were having fun since the game looked exciting. But I just wanted to go home.

As we were walking out of the stadium the crowds once again were being unkind to me. Some lady even grabbed my hair on accident.

"Why are you so quiet?" Vaughn asked as were slowly milling through the crowds towards the exit. We weren't getting very far.

"Nothing. I just don't like big crowds, that's all." I put my head down and continued to walk.

"Cheer up Sydney…" Vaughn sang to me just like Charlie's mom sang to him in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was one of our all time favorite movies. I let out a small laugh as I tried to hide my smile. He always sang that to me when I was down.

"That's it. I see that famous Sydney Bristow smile coming out. C'mon, lets get out of here."

All of a sudden Vaughn grabbed my hand and our fingers laced together. I just thought it was his attempt on trying not to loose me as we walked with masses of people. But he didn't let go. He didn't let go all the way till we got to the car and that was a 15 minute walk. Holding his hand felt so right. I never wanted to let go of him again.

**Vaughn's POV**

As we were slowly walking to the exit I saw Syd look a little down. I thought we were having such a great time during the game. She kept asking me all of these questions about baseball and it was so cute how hard she was trying to understand. I love it when girls show an interest in sports. It's so sexy.

I asked her why she was being quiet and she said she hates big crowds. That would explain why she grabbed on to me while we were first entering the gates. I felt her hands grab my waist as more people pushed into us. Her body was pressed up next to mine and if she wasn't pushing me forward, I don't think I would've been able to concentrate on walking.

I sang her that stupid song from Charlie in the Chocolate Factory to cheer her up. I knew it would make her laugh since every time I sang it to her it evoked a smile from her face.

Out of nowhere I grabbed her hand. Just like it was meant to be our fingers weaved together and our hands fit perfectly. I did half because I wanted to and half because there were so many damn people around us that I didn't want to lose her.

Even after we exited and there weren't crowds around us, she never let go of my hand. If she was ok with it then I wasn't going to be the one pulling back. I held on to her hand and didn't want to let go.

None of us said anything while we were walking. But, nothing needed to be said. It was then that I realized this is where I want to be. I know everything will be alright if I have her by my side. Syd had my heart from the beginning and it was times like these that make me fall in love with her even more.

**Syd's POV**

As soon as we got into the car Vaughn put on Coldplay's CD and soon Chris Martin's voice was filling my ears.

_Honey you are a rock_

Upon which I stand 

_And I come here to talk_

_I hope you understand_

_That green eyes_

_Yeah the spark light_

_Shines upon you_

_And how could_

_Anybody deny you?_

_Cause I came here _

_With a load and_

_It feels so much lighter_

_Now that I met you_

_And honey you should know_

_That I could never go_

_On without you_

_Green eyes…._

_Honey you are the sea_

_Upon which I float_

_And I came here to talk_

_I think you should know_

_That green eyes_

_You're the one that _

_I wanted to find_

_And anyone who _

_Tried to deny you_

_Must be out of their minds_

_Cause I came here with a load_

_And it feels so much lighter_

_Now since I met you_

_And honey you should know_

_That I could never go_

_On without you_

_Green eyes…_

The lyrics so closely resembled Vaughn and how I felt about him. Obviously the song was named Green Eyes and Vaughn had the most beautiful green eyes I'd ever seen. They were so vibrant and soft. It is one of his best features. But mostly, he is my rock. When my mother died he was there for me every minute of it even though we were so young. Every time my father left on another business trip Vaughn would come over and keep me company. When my senior Homecoming date, Noah Hicks, stood me up the night of the dance, Vaughn put on a suit and filled in as my date. It was the best time I ever had at a high school dance. He kept it a secret from me that he was actually a very good dancer. I never knew because he didn't like going to dances.

The slow soft music playing soon put me to sleep. I woke up just as Vaughn was getting out of the car. I slid out as Vaughn walked me up the stairs. As we reached my door I decided that this was the time. I had to tell him how I felt. If I didn't tell him now, then I don't know if I ever will have the courage to do it.

"That was so much fun Syd. You made a better date than Weiss." Vaughn leaned against the frame of my door as I frantically searched for something to stare at.

"Vaughn I need to tell you something." My hands begun to shake as I tucked a few stray hairs behind my ear.

"Sure, shoot." He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hat hair.

"I umm…"

"You umm what, Syd?"

"Vaughn, I…"

Suddenly my front door opened causing Vaughn to fall into my apartment. Weiss appeared in the doorway and didn't even attempt to catch Vaughn as he fell. Francie stood there cracking up. I, on the other hand, wasn't too pleased we were interrupted.

"Hey buddy. Didn't know you two were outside." Weiss offered a hand to Vaughn and helped him up.

"It's cool, man."

"Now that you're here, you can drive me home. Francie was going to give me a ride." Weiss said as I walked inside and threw my jacket on the couch.

"Oh ok. But, Syd was just saying she had something to tell me. What'd you wanna say?"

All three people in the room looked at me and I froze. This was something I wanted to tell him in private. I definitely didn't want to declare my love for him in front of Francie and especially not Weiss.

"Oh. It's nothing. I just wanted to say that I'm starting to like baseball now." I laughed and tried to play my disappointment off. Luckily he bought it.

"Good. We'll have to go again soon." Vaughn waved to Francie and then came over and gave me a hug. He smelled so good. The smell of his aftershave and cologne were intoxicating.

"I'll see you later." He said as he pulled out of my arms.

"Thanks for the help Fran! Bye Syd." Weiss said as the door closed. I let out a loud groan. That was not the way I wanted the night to end.

"Omg, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you guys were outside the door and you were going to tell him!" Francie came over to me and sat on the counter. "So how was your date?"

"Oh it was definitely eventful. Vaughn and I kissed."

"You guys kissed!!!" Francie literally shrieked. "Tell me everything! If you kissed then why did you still have to tell him you liked him?"

"Because when we were at the game they were showing couples kissing on the big screen in between innings and they showed Vaughn and I. If Vaughn and I didn't kiss we would've gotten booed by the whole stadium."

"I see. Well, how was the rest of the game?" Fran looked disappointed.

"It was fun. Just being with him was great until I started to have doubts about him and I. But then, when we were walking out, he held my hand all the way till we got to the car."

"Aww, you guys held hands! That is so sweet. See, I told you he likes you."

"Yeah, well, my confession will just have to wait for another day." I walked towards my room. I was exhausted from stressing out over Vaughn. "Goodnight Fran, see you tomorrow."

**Vaughn's POV**

After we got into my car I socked Weiss right in the shoulder. He interrupted a very crucial moment between Sydney and I. I really thought she was going to tell me something important. Something I longed to hear my whole life.

"What the hell was that for, Mike?" Weiss said as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Dude, you interrupted Syd and I! She was going to say something important to me until you opened the door." Weiss couldn't have had the worst timing in the world.

"I didn't even know you guys were outside. Chill out. Besides, I already knew what she was going to say."

"How do you know what she was going to say? Weiss, man, you better tell me."

"I promised Sydney I wouldn't. But, since you are my roommate and best friend, I might as well tell you. But, I swear to god if you tell her I told you I will kick you out of my place." It was killing me. I had to know.

"Dude, Syd's completely in love with you. She told me this afternoon."

"SERIOUSLY?!? Weiss, I love you. Really, I do."

"Ok one, don't ever say you love me again. And two, for the love of twinkies Mike, will one of you say something about this cause it's killing Francie and I!"

I couldn't control my happiness anymore and as soon as we got to our place and parked I jumped on Weiss. Sydney felt the same way I did. It was the best news I've ever heard in my life.

"So how did your date go anyways?" Weiss asked as he opened up our front door.

"It was great. We kissed and held hands." I walked in and sat myself on the couch.

"Ok, if you kissed and held hands, how in the hell did you not know she likes you?" I could tell he was confused.

"Well, we were forced into the kiss. They did this whole couple kissing thing during the 6th inning…."

"Oh sh! They played the Frank Sinatra song, right? They did that when I was there. So you guys kissed in front of everyone watching?"

"Yeah pretty much. But, I still didn't know how she felt about it. And, as we were walking out of the stadium I grabbed her hand so I wouldn't lose her. But, then we just kept walking and neither of us let go. I had a feeling she liked me, but I wanted to hear her actually say it."

"You're a lucky little bastard, you know that Mike? Syd is so hot." Weiss sat down on the couch next to me and grabbed the remote to the TV.

"I know, dude. At least I know now."

"Yup, at least you know now." Weiss repeated.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks for the reviews guys, I really appreciate it. Here's a new chapter._

**Chapter 6.**

**Syd's POV**

The next few days were extremely busy for me. I had my 15 page paper due for my English class on Friday. I hardly had time to see or talk to anyone, including Vaughn. He called me twice to see why I was being unsocial, but I just explained that I had a paper due.

Procrastination is not your friend. If there were one bad habit I would like to eliminate that I have it would be procrastination. I've done it all my life. I've always waited till the last minute to get things done. If I wasn't sitting around drooling and thinking about Vaughn, I'd probably have this paper done. Instead, I've been staying up till 2am in the morning trying to finish it.

On Thursday morning I went for a long run. Running was always the way for me to clear my head. It was my escape from the real world. I love feeling the wind in my face and hearing the sound of my feet hitting the ground. I always seemed to think about my mom when I ran. Well, I thought about what I remembered of her.

I just remember her and my dad being so happy. They seemed so much in love. They would take me to eat ice cream and my mom would read to me before I went to bed. I'll never forget the day she was taken from me. It changed me forever.

Flashback 

_I was sitting alone in my room coloring my Alice in Wonderland coloring book when my dad knocked on my door._

"_Sydney, sweetheart, I need to talk to you," I walked over and sat on the edge of my bed with my dad. I could tell something was wrong. _

"_There was a car accident. And, your mother was hurt very badly." I could see my dad's tears start to well up in his eyes._

"_Is mommy going to be ok?"_

"_No Sydney. Your mother was driving across the bridge when a drunk driver swerved her off the bridge. The paramedics couldn't save her."_

"_No! I want mommy! I want her to come home!" I screamed as I started to hit my dad in the chest._

"_She's not coming back sweetheart. She's not coming home." I sobbed into his shirt as He hugged me tightly. _

_End Flashback_

As soon as I got back to my apartment, I got a call from my dad.

"Hello Sydney." His voice was always the same and I don't think he's ever called me honey or sweetheart since the day my mother died.

"Hi dad. What's up?"

"I'm going out of town again for a few days. I have a trip to Germany for around three days. I just wanted to let you know." My dad's job was to sell airplane parts. I never did understand why it required him to travel all around the world.

"Oh ok. Is Leslie looking over the house?" Leslie was my nanny and housekeeper growing up. She basically raised me since my dad was never around. After my mother died, my father hired her to take care of the house and me.

"Yes, Leslie will be around. By the way, how's school?"

"It's good. I'm just finishing up my paper for English that's due tomorrow."

"Good, I'm glad you're doing well. How's Michael?" Why would my dad be asking about Michael?

"He's doing well. Why are you asking about Vaughn? You never ask about Vaughn."

"I ran into his mother the other day while getting gas. She said he hasn't called in a week."

"Oh I see. I'll tell Vaughn to call her."

"Ok, Sydney. I'll let you get back to your paper. I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye dad."

My father always called me at least once every week and a half. It's just short conversations to make sure I'm doing well. It's nice that he calls and I appreciate it. But, I'm not close to him like Vaughn and his mother are. Their relationship is so sweet. During the first semester of school, his mom sent him packages every week. They were big boxes containing cookies, chips, soda, macaroni and cheese, and candy. There were also little notes in the box that reminded him to separate his laundry and wash the dishes with hot water.

**Vaughn's POV**

Friday morning Weiss and I didn't have any classes so I convinced him to come play basketball with me at the park. I had to drag him out of bed, but eventually he woke up. It was nice having Weiss as a roommate. Despite his tendencies to snore and eat everything in our fridge, he was a really good guy.

"Did you see Tori Hunter's catch on ESPN last night? It was insane man. He seriously jumped 8 feet in the air. I thought he was flying." Weiss said as he shot the basketball. It made a loud clunk sound and bounced off the front of the rim.

"Nah, didn't catch it. I was working on my speech for government."

"So I haven't seen Syd around in a couple of days? What's up with you guys?"

"Nothing. She said she's been busy writing a paper. I didn't want to bother her." I took a shot from the right side of the baseline. I missed terribly and caused Weiss to run after the ball.

"I see. When are you going to make your move?" Weiss said slightly out of breath as he came walking back to me.

"I dunno yet. I'm thinking about it. What are you doing for Spring Break, by the way? It's coming up in a week and a half."

"I'm going to stay here. My parents are actually coming up to San Francisco to visit me. Aren't you flying down with Syd?"

"Yeah, well, we're supposed to. But I was thinking about driving back with her instead. I was kinda thinking on our way home we can spend the night in Santa Barbara."

"Oh, Michael Vaughn, doing the whole romantic thing." Weiss gave me a fist pound before air balling another shot.

"I know. I'll have to talk about it with her first."

"No, you'll have to tell her how you feel Vaughn. Do that first, and then ask her if she wants to go with your plan. You can't just plan to spend a night in Santa Barbara with her without you telling her everything she needs to know." When did Weiss start to give good advice?

"I will. I'll tell her this weekend. You have my word."

**Syd's POV**

I finally finished my paper at 3am Friday morning. Thank god English was my only class on Fridays. I was relieved after I turned my paper in and came home. I flopped on the couch and turned on the TV to watch a couple of cooking shows. The TV was permanently on the Food Network anyways since Francie was a business major looking to open up her own restaurant. I didn't mind. I love watching cooking shows.

Francie came in around 1:30 with a couple of sandwiches. Bless her heart for knowing to pick one up for me on the way home since my stomach was beginning to growl. I walked to the kitchen and plopped myself on a stool while I reached for my sandwich.

"So you and I are going to a party tomorrow night." Francie said as she chewed on her meatball sub.

"And whose party is this? Cause I'm not really in the partying mood." I really wasn't. I was planning on staying in this weekend and watching some movies. I was gonna call Vaughn to come over and hang out.

"I met this guy named Will Tippin. He's in one of my classes. He's so cute Syd. You are gonna die when you meet him. Anyways, he's having a party at his apartment tomorrow night and he asked me to come."

"Oh sounds like fun." I was being sarcastic.

"It will be since you're going to bring Michael." The thought of going with Vaughn made me a lot more willing to comply with Francie.

"What if I don't want to go with Vaughn?"

"Give me a break Syd. You know you wouldn't go anywhere without your French lover."

"You've been hanging around Weiss too much."

"Now get your ass into your room and grab your cell to call him!" Francie yelled.

I wasted no time in doing just that. I grabbed my cell phone off my desk and dialed Vaughn's number as I lay down on my bed. It rang twice until he picked up.

"Hello?" I smiled when I heard his voice.

"Hey Vaughn, it's me."

"Hey Syd, it's me." I laughed and I could hear Vaughn chuckling on the other line.

"Shut up smart ass. I called to invite you out tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night? How do you know I don't have a hot date?" God. I hope he doesn't have a hot date. Vaughn could easily have a hot date every night.

"Oh well, if you do then it's ok."

"I was just kidding Syd, I don't have a hot date. I'd only want you to be my hot date." A big smile showed up on my face. "I was just going to play X-box tomorrow night anyways."

"Ok good, cause Francie wants us to go to some party."

"Whose party is it? Can I bring Weiss?"

"Yeah sure. The more the merrier. Francie met this guy in one of her classes. His name is Will. Anyways, he's having a party tomorrow night and invited her. She wants us to come too." I started to play with a lose strand of string on my comforter.

"That sounds good. Are you gonna wear a short skirt?" What was with him today? He was flirting with me. It's not like I minded.

"I'll wear a short skirt if you wear that blue buttoned down shirt I got you for Christmas." I remember picking out that shirt thinking it was so Vaughn. Boy, was I right.

"It's a deal. What time do you want us to come pick you guys up?"

"I dunno, let me ask Fran real quick." I yelled to Francie in the kitchen asking what time Vaughn and Weiss should come over.  
"Tell them around 7:30!" I heard her yell back.

"Fran said come at 7:30."

"Sounds good. I'll tell Weiss to make sure he showers."

"Good idea. Oh, by the way, my dad called me yesterday. He said he talked to your mom and you haven't called in a week."

"S. I forgot to call her last night. Ok, I'll go call her right now."

"Good boy." I got off my bed to plug my phone into my charger since it started to beep.

"Alright. I'll let you go now. Weiss and I are having a Madden tournament all day." I will never understand boys and their video games.

"Ok. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye Vaughn."

"Seeya later Syd."

I had less than 24 hours to find a cute skirt to wear if I was going to pay up to my end of the bargain.

**Vaughn's POV**

As soon as I heard my phone ringing from my room, I knew it was Syd. Ok, it's not like I have some killer instinct or special abilities. I have a special ring tone for her when she calls. Yes, that's probably the most pathetic thing anyone's ever heard. Guys aren't supposed to program their phones to know when a girl is calling. Guys lose their phones, drop them, and don't know how to work them. They don't spend an hour looking for the ring tone for Kelly Clarkson's, 'A Moment Like This' just because it was the song that played during the first dance they shared with the girl of their dreams.

Ok, so I have my phone on silent whenever someone is around so I won't get questioned whether or not I still have balls. Weiss is the only one who knows. I forgot to turn my phone on silent a few weeks ago while we were driving to Taco Bell. Syd called and before it was too late to turn it off, Weiss heard it.

_Flashback_

"_What the hell was that?" Weiss grabbed the phone out of my hand and started to look at it like it was some sort of foreign object._

"_What the hell was what? I dunno what you're talking about." Denial was my best option. I couldn't give in yet._

"_Dude, was that Kelly Clarkson's song? Oh my god. That was Kelly Clarkson's song. It's right here in your list of ring tones!" He had my phone flipped open now still staring in disbelief. "Vaughn, just tell me now. Are you really a girl?" I hit him in the back of the head as we stopped at a stoplight._

"_No! I'm not a girl! I'll tell you what that's about, but you're gonna make fun of me for days about this."_

"_Just tell me. I need to be reassured you're not a girl in some guy's body. Cause really Mike, I'm a little freaked out."_

"_I have a special ring tone for when Syd calls me." Weiss couldn't hold in his laughter. It took him a full six minutes to be able to compose himself again. Even after that he had a hard time choking out the words._

"_You… You.. Have a… what?" _

"_I programmed my phone to play A Moment Like This when she calls." I was sure my face was beet red already. No one was meant to find out about this._

"_Why would you do that Mike? Damn. You have got it bad. She's got you wrapped around her finger." Weiss continued to laugh as I pulled into the line at the Taco Bell drive through._

"_Shut up! It was the first song we danced to last year during Homecoming. I swear to god Weiss if you tell anyone I'll…"_

"_Relax. I'm not going to say anything to anyone. I promise. But really Vaughn, you better not hope I'm in a situation to blackmail you."_

_End Flashback_

Syd called to invite me to some party tomorrow night. I agreed, but not without playing with her a little bit. I figured I could mess with her mind by showing my flirty side. I didn't even know I had a flirty side. I never used it before. It only came out when Syd was around.

I didn't have plans anyways. It was perfect. We could go to this dude's party and as soon as we're alone, I'll make my move. Or maybe I won't have to and she'll make hers.

I yelled out to Weiss to tell him where we were going before I took out my blue dress shirt to get ironed. I had to admit, it was a nice shirt. It made it even better that Syd picked it out for me. I could already feel it in my body, that tomorrow night was gonna be a great night.

**Reviews welcomed and appreciated :)**


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks for all the reviews you guys! Really, you guys rock. Here's the next chapter, enjoy._

Chapter 7.

**Syd's POV**

By 2pm in the afternoon I had my whole closet dismantled. Every single article of clothing I owned was sprawled out on my floor and bed. I just couldn't find the right outfit to wear. It's not like I owned anything remotely sexy. My wardrobe consisted of jeans, yoga pants, sweatshirts, 2 sweaters and a few Paul Frank t-shirts. I sprawled out on the pile of clothing and yelled out for Francie.

"Fran! Come in here and help me!"  
"What is it…." Francie's eyes widened as she looked around my room. "Did a tornado hit your room or something? What did you do?"  
"I have nothing to wear tonight." I said as I threw one of my sweaters over my face.  
"Get up. We're going shopping." She grabbed my arm as she tried to pull me up.  
"We don't have anytime. It's almost 2:30."  
"We're going shopping in my closet sweetie. You know I have a bangin' wardrobe."

Fran pulled me into her room and I sat in her desk chair. It took her about two minutes to pull something out. When she showed it to me my mouth nearly dropped to the floor.

"I can't wear that. That skirt is way too short. And, the tube top? In case you haven't noticed, I don't have any boobs!"  
"Sydney, please. You'll borrow one of my padded bras. And, don't even try and argue with me about this skirt. It's about time you show off those legs of yours."

I slumped down in the chair and groaned. It's not like the clothes weren't cute because they totally were. But, it was something Francie could pull off, not me. Before I could argue with her she threw me out of her room so she could pick something out to wear.

I went back into my room and put all of my clothes back on hangers and in drawers. After I was done I put Francie's outfit on my bed and looked at it. I gotta do what I gotta do, right? It's not that bad. I'm only going to be in this for a few hours.

By the time 7:30 rolled around I was almost ready. I could hear Francie letting the guys in. I stood at my closet pondering at what shoes to wear. I did have those black strappy heels that I wore to prom last year. I have no idea why they were in San Francisco with me because I never used them. I decided tonight was the night.

I put my shoes on and took one last look in the mirror. I once again let my hair down as it fell around my shoulders. The top Francie gave me fit quite well after I put on the strapless, padded bra. It was black, with a pink ribbon going around the middle and tying into a bow in the back. The skirt was definitely showing off my long legs. It was a black denim skirt that went to around my mid thighs, with pleats at the bottom of it. I touched the silver pendant hanging around my neck as I turned around. 'Here goes nothing' I said to myself as I walked out of my room.

**Vaughn's POV**

Weiss and I were so busy playing the X-box all day that as soon as we knew it, it was time to get ready. I told Weiss to shower as I went into my room to change. I threw on my shirt and khakis and ran some gel through my hair. I never used a comb. I just ran my hand through it a couple of times trying to make it look messy. I grabbed my cell phone and wallet from the coffee table as I yelled out to Weiss.

"Weiss! Dude, lets go, we're gonna be late." I yelled as I grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter.  
"I'm right here, pipe down."

After pulling up to Syd's place we hopped out of the car and started walking up to the third floor.

"Ok whenever you want to have that talk.." Weiss looked at me weirdly.  
"What talk?" I answered.  
"About the cologne or whatever the hell you're wearing."  
"I'm not wearing cologne."  
"Well something's going on. No man naturally smells as good as you do right now."

Weiss knocked a couple of times as we waited for someone to open the door. Just then, Syd's neighbor, Josh swung open his door and locked up his apartment. When Syd first moved in she told me Josh hit on her constantly.

_Flashback  
Syd and I were just getting in after shopping when we ran into Josh. As he walked by he gave her a once over and winked at her. I could feel my blood starting to boil.  
"Who the hell is that?" I asked as she handed me one of her shopping bags.  
"My neighbor Josh. He's a total asshole. He keeps hitting on me and making these rude comments. It's gross."  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"It's no big deal Vaughn, really."  
"It is a big deal. This guy is sexually harassing you." No one was going to get away with messing with Sydney before I had anything to do with it. My protective mode started to kick in.  
"I can take care of myself Vaughn. Besides, Francie can totally kick his ass." She put her hand on my shoulder trying to reassure me. She was so stubborn sometimes.  
"Yeah ok. Just give me a heads up if he continues this. I'll have a word with him."  
End Flashback_

He finally stopped after Francie told him off. I gave him a glare as he walked by. He gave me a sarcastic smirk and then put his head down.

"I swear I'm gonna kill that guy." I said to Weiss as I clenched my jaw.  
"There's no way that guy smells as good as you." He said as he knocked again.  
"It's aftershave. I got a new aftershave." I put it on this afternoon after showering.  
"Yeah, well, I'd lighten up on it."  
"Yeah?"  
"Oh yeah. To the point of non-use."

Just then Francie opened the door. She apologized for making us wait out there, but she said she was in her room and couldn't hear the knocking.

Weiss and I went to sit on the kitchen stools as we waited for the girls to be ready. I was patiently waiting for Syd to come out of her room and make an appearance. I was just messing around with her when I told her to wear a skirt. Sure, her legs were the part I found most attractive, but whatever she wears she looks great in. She doesn't have to impress me. She had me a long time ago.

The three of us continued to sit there chatting about nothing in particular as Syd's door opened up. When she appeared in her doorway my mouth literally dropped to the floor. I was speechless. She looked so beautiful. She had this short black skirt on with a black strapless top. Her legs looked so smooth and her hair fell around her shoulders. I couldn't help but stare at her.

"Woo, Sydney you look so hot. I told you that outfit would look great on you." Francie said.  
Weiss nodded his head agreeing as I just sat there. She rubbed her hands over her arms looking like she felt slightly uncomfortable.  
"What? Why are you looking at me like that Vaughn? I told you I was going to wear a skirt." She laughed and then walked towards me.  
"I uhhh.. I think you're beautiful Syd." I swallowed hard and then looked down to play with the bottom button of my shirt.

The room suddenly fell silent as she began to blush. Weiss finally broke the silence.

"Alright, we should get going. I will be the designated drive tonight." He swung the keys around with one of his fingers. Syd grabbed her sweater off the couch and we were out of there.

**Syd's POV**

Before we got into the car, Francie called shotgun and ran to the front seat. Before getting in she winked at me. She did it on purpose so I could sit in the backseat with Vaughn. I felt like we were in 7th grade again.

We arrived at Will's in no time and his place was huge. By the time we got in there were already tons of people inside drinking and dancing. Right away Francie spotted Will and waved to him. After introducing all of us to Will, she went off with him into another room. Weiss soon found a guy from his Philosophy class and started talking to him. It left Vaughn and I just standing there by ourselves.

"I see you're wearing your blue shirt I requested." Vaughn could easily pass for one of those gap models on TV. He was wearing the blue buttoned down shirt that was slightly open at the top. He had on a pair of khakis and boots.  
"I had to own up to my end of the deal, you know," He put his hand on my shoulder. "And by the looks of it, you definitely did."

I felt slightly embarrassed. I wasn't used to Vaughn's compliments, but I didn't mind them.

"It's Francie's. I borrowed everything from her." I confessed.  
"Well you look great. Really, you do." I smiled at him and he smiled right back. "C'mon, lets go get a drink."

He grabbed my hand as we weaved through different people and just like before, our fingers laced together. I saw a few envious glares from different girls who noticed Vaughn and I were holding hands. A smile grew on my face as we reached where the drinks were. He grabbed two cans of coke off the table and opened mine before handing it to me.

The loud music continued to ring our ears as we surveyed the room. Francie and Weiss were nowhere to be seen. I didn't recognize anybody at the party. Vaughn didn't either.

Two minutes later Lauren Reed came strolling up to Vaughn. She didn't even look at me. Either she was ignoring me or she didn't even know I was standing there. Of course, she was dressed to the occasion in nearly nothing. It reminded me of that one scene from Clueless where Cher comes down the banister in that white dress and her father tells her, her dress looks like underwear.

"Hi Michael. I'm glad you came tonight." She reached out her hand and started rubbing Vaughn's left bicep.  
"Hey. Yeah, I was invited by a friend." To my liking, Vaughn looked uninterested in Lauren.  
"Do you wanna dance?" Her hand moved all the way down his arm and rested on Vaughn's hip. I couldn't believe her. I could feel my face getting hot, as I'm sure steam was emitting from my head.

Before Vaughn could even say anything I put my coke down and stepped in front of him causing Lauren to take her paw off of him.

"Actually Lauren, he's with me." The color drained from Lauren's face as she finally registered who I was.  
"I didn't recognize it was YOU standing next to him. Someone got an extreme makeover." Vaughn suddenly put both of his hands on my hips and pulled me back into him.  
"Lauren give it up already. I'm not going to go out with you. So if you'll excuse me, Sydney and I are going to dance." He then grabbed both of my hands and led me to where people were dancing.

I took one look back just so I could see Lauren's reaction. She stomped her foot and had both hands on her hips. Her eyes were narrowed as she continued to watch Vaughn and I dancing.

"Wow. The look on her face was priceless when you stepped in front of me." Vaughn said while swaying to the sound of the beat.  
"I know. But her hand was on your waist. Plus, she didn't even acknowledge the fact that I was standing there with you."  
"Forget about her Syd. Let's just have some fun." I nodded my head as Vaughn and I continued to dance.

We laughed as Weiss walked over to us and made his best attempt at dancing. The three of us danced, talked, and laughed for the next twenty minutes. The party was actually turning out to be fun even though we didn't know anybody. Weiss even got on the floor and tried to do The Worm. It was mostly just him rolling around on the floor but it was amusing to watch. Vaughn and I clutched our stomachs because it hurt from laughing.

"Hey Syd. Do you wanna go outside and get some air?" Vaughn yelled to me.  
"Yeah sure." We started to walk away when we heard Weiss yelling at us.  
"Thanks for inviting me guys! I'll just stay here." He went back to dancing as we made our way outside.

I opened the balcony door and the cold air felt good as it hit my whole body. The stars were out as I looked up into the sky. I wondered if my mom and Vaughn's dad were watching over us. I walked over to one of the deck chairs and sat myself down. I started to unclasp my shoes because they were killing my feet. I wasn't used to wearing heels.

"Weiss was hilarious in there. He sure knows how to get a crowd going." Vaughn sat on the chair opposite from me as he faced me.  
"My feet hurt so bad. Now I remember why I never wear these." I threw off my other shoe and let out a small moan. It felt so good to get those things off.  
"Here. Give me your foot." Vaughn picked up my right foot and slowly started to massage it. His fingers pressed into the sole of my foot and it felt deliciously good.

We continued to sit there in a comfortable silence as Vaughn put my right foot down and picked up my left, repeating his actions.

As I looked at his face I could see his eyes drifted up to the sky. If there were any perfect time to tell him how I felt, this would be the moment.

"Vaughn…"  
"Hmm?" He answered me as he continued to look at the sky.  
"Look at me. I need to say this to you." He dropped my foot from his lap, as I suddenly got really nervous.  
"Oh god, I can't believe I'm going to tell you this. But it's been building up inside of me and if I don't tell you now, I'm gonna go nuts. So just let me get everything out before you say anything or run away," I paused as I couldn't find the right words to choke out. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you anything. I don't know how to handle this. I……"

Before I could continue Vaughn leaned forward quickly and pressed his lips into mine. We both stood up and immediately one of his hands was in my hair and the other on my hip. I snaked one of my arms around his neck as I stroked his face.

The kiss started out slow but soon grew more intense as I felt Vaughn's tongue making it's way into my mouth. I said a silent thank you to his mom for being French cause boy could Vaughn kiss. The hand that was in my hair made it's way down my back to my waist pulling me even closer. After becoming light headed from the lack of oxygen both of us pulled away.

**Vaughn's POV**

I didn't even know what I was doing when I leaned in to kiss her. It just happened. I was hardly concentrating on what she was saying to me but I knew what she was going to say anyways. I saw her lips moving and they looked so irresistible.

Kissing her was amazing. Feeling her mouth on mine and holding her in my arms was an incredible feeling.

"I've been wanting to do that forever Syd." I said as we pulled back, both staying in each other's arms.  
"What? Why haven't you said anything?"  
"I was scared. I've had feelings for you since I could remember. But I was scared you didn't feel the same way and it would ruin our friendship. I was too scared of losing you."  
"Vaughn, you could never lose me." She said as she played with the hairs on the back of my neck.  
"I know, but I never wanted to act on my feelings until recently. Until I found out you felt the same way."  
"Wait a second. How did you know?" Whoops. I wasn't supposed to tell her Weiss told me. Oh well, he'll deal.  
"Weiss told me last week."  
"He what?!? I told him not to tell you!"  
"I know, but he only did it so I'd finally confess to you. Besides, it worked out for the best. He said we were driving him and Francie crazy." I reached up my hand to brush away a few strands of hair from her face.  
"Francie's been bugging me to tell you too. When I told her I had a crush on a guy, she knew it was you." We both laughed as I pulled her in for another kiss. I couldn't get enough of her.  
"My mom is going to be so happy when I tell her about this. You know she's always told me you'd make a lovely girlfriend." I said as I stared into her eyes.  
"Really? Well, I don't know about my dad. Maybe I'll tell him first before he sees you." Even the thought of Jack Bristow punching me in the face couldn't wipe away this smile.

We continued to kiss and hold each other until both of us got too cold. We went back into the party to see that Weiss was still dancing. When he saw us grinning like fools and holding on to each other, he knew.

"So you guys are an item now?" We both nodded our heads as I gave Syd a quick kiss. "Oh thank you god! I don't have to listen to you two pining for each other anymore." We laughed as Syd wrapped her arms around my waist. Weiss gave me a high five and then a fist pound.

It was truly the best night of my life.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	8. Chapter 8

_Thanks for all the rewviews again!! Ok, how good was last night's episode? So good. Wow, Vaughn's speech had me in a puddle. Enjoy the next chap._

Chapter 8.

**Syd's POV**

I stayed in bed late the next morning just staring at my ceiling. I wasn't sleepy, but I just lay there thinking about what happened the night before. Everything was absolutely perfect. Vaughn and I finally kissed and it was amazing. I've kissed and been kissed before, but it was nowhere close to being compared to kissing Vaughn. He was really that good. I really did see fireworks in the sky like everyone said I would. That never happened to me when I was with Danny.

When I finally got out of bed Francie was in the kitchen making breakfast. She was so excited for Vaughn and I last night that she started clapping and telling us how happy she was.

"Hey Syd, do you want some breakfast?" Francie looked up at me as I walked over to the fridge to grab some orange juice.

"Actually, I'm not that hungry, but thanks."

"If you say so." She answered and continued to stir her scrambled eggs. The smell of the bacon laying on the counter filled up the whole apartment.

"So where did you disappear to last night at the party? We hardly saw you until the end."

"I was hanging out with Will. He's so nice Syd. He was telling me how he wants to be a writer and talked about his family. His sister sounds hilarious."

"Yeah? So is this going to turn into a thing?" It was nice to see that not only was I happy, Francie was as well.

"I dunno. I hope so."

Vaughn dropped by later that afternoon and brought me coffee ice cream, my favorite. We sat on the couch and started to watch TV. 5 minutes later he and I were making out. He had me lying on my back, pressed against the couch when Francie caught us. She told us to get a room and then started to laugh.

The next couple of days were just like the ones before. Vaughn and I were practically inseparable. If we weren't at my place, we were at his. We'd skip studying to hang out with each other. While this wasn't good for my schoolwork and grades, I felt the need to always be with him.

We shouldn't have even showed up for Chemistry on Tuesday morning. During the lecture Vaughn grabbed my hand under the lab table started drawing endless patterns on the palm of my hand. I had to stifle my laugh as his fingers continued to tickle me.

"Vaughn, stop. I'm trying to pay attention." I whispered.

"No you aren't." He answered as he gave me a smirk.

"Yes I am and you're making it difficult."

"Well, I can't concentrate on the lecture so I'm concentrating on you," I giggled quietly. "We don't have to be here, you know. We could just walk out."

"Yeah? And where would we go?"

"Back to my place." He winked at me as I found it even harder to control my laughter.

"Hey! You two right there! Will you stop already? Francie and I feel like we're watching the Young and the Restless back here." Both Vaughn and I glanced back to see Weiss and Francie sitting there with slightly serious looks on their faces.

"Sorry!" We whispered.

That night I had to spend it away from Vaughn. I haven't gotten any reading done and had 100 pages to catch up on in my 'A World of Ideas' book. And while the thought of spending time away from him was difficult, I had work to do.

Ever since Saturday night, spending these last few days with Vaughn were some of the best in my life. Even though we transitioned from being friends into being more than friends, nothing has really changed. He's still my best friend and we act completely the same. Well, except for the whole making out, kissing, and holding hands thing, everything is the same.

It's so easy to be with him because he understands me, knows me, and knows what I've been through in my life. I don't have to act different around him. There's no secrets in between us because we've known each other for a long time. Just the fact that our newfound relationship is built on years and years of friendship makes it that much better.

**Vaughn's POV**

It's pretty lonely not having Syd around tonight. We've fallen into the pattern of spending every single minute of our time with each other. Not that I'm complaining or anything because I'm definitely not. If I had it my way I'd want to be with her all the time. Being with her makes me so incredibly happy.

Now that I can hold her and kiss her, it's so much better than I have ever imagined. I've always been given the impression that guys always want space from their girlfriends, but not me. Even when we were just friends I always wanted to spend time with her.

Her smile lights up the room and her big cute dimples show on the sides of her face. Every time she smiles she makes me smile. It's contagious. The best part of her though is her sweetness. Syd is so sincere and nice to everyone and she makes me want to be a better person. She seems to have that effect on people.

"Where's your girlfriend tonight?" Weiss said as he walked into my room and grabbed the small plastic basketball off of the floor. He shot at the little hoop right above my door.

"She's at home studying. We both decided it was best if we took some time to ourselves tonight and get some studying in."

"That's good. You guys have been with each other 24/7 these last couple of days." Weiss threw me the basketball as I took a shot while sitting in my desk chair.

"I know. But, it's so much fun being with her."

"Yeah, you're lucky Mike. You got a good one. I don't even have a girlfriend to spend all my time with." Poor Weiss, he is always on the look out for a girl.

"Don't worry about it dude, you'll find a girl one day."

"I sure hope so. It's not as easy for me as it is for you. I don't have your boyish looks, buddy." I rolled my eyes.

"Screw this man, I can't concentrate on studying. You wanna go play Madden?" If I'm not going to study, I might as well spend my time getting better at videogames.

"Alright let's go so I can kick your butt."

On Wednesday night Syd and I were at my place watching a movie. We had the apartment to ourselves since Weiss was with Francie again. Apparently Francie hasn't motivated him enough to show up for Philosophy and still has to tutor him.

We were on my couch. I was in a sitting position while Syd was lying down with her head in my lap. A blanket was draped over her body but her feet were peeking out at the end. One of my hands was holding hers while my other was running my fingers through her long silky hair. Since Weiss and I didn't have any chick flicks on DVD's, we decided to watch The Godfather. It's one of my all time favorite movies. Syd's only seen parts of it but she seems to really be in to it.

I took the opportunity to talk to her during the part where Michael Corleone is in Italy since that part is kinda slow.

"Hey Syd. I was thinking. I know we're supposed to fly back home on Saturday, but I wanted to ask you. Do you want to drive back instead?" She lifted her head off my lap and sat straight up. Then turned around and faced me.

"Really? What about our plane tickets?"

"They're refundable unless we cancel within 24 hours. I think it'd be fun. Maybe we could stop in Santa Barbara on the way home." Suddenly her eyes lit up and she smiled.

"Seriously Vaughn? You want to do that?" I grabbed her hands that were clasped in her lap and ran my finger over her knuckles.

"Of course I do. I know your last class is Friday morning. We can leave after then instead of leaving on Saturday."

"Yeah that sounds great." She said and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Yeah? Good. I'm glad you're happy."

"I'll always be happy when I'm with you Vaughn."

I smiled and then pulled her in for another kiss. This time it wasn't quick. She wrapped her arms around my neck as my hands immediately went around her back. Our kiss soon turned more passionate as she opened her mouth so my tongue could enter. As our tongues battled inside our mouths I slowly lowered my body, bringing Syd to lie on top of me.

When I pulled away after my lungs were burning for oxygen Syd wasted no time. She started to kiss my jaw and then nibble around my neck. Her hands found their way under my t-shirt and my breath hitched when I felt her fingers running over my stomach. Feeling her fingers on my bare skin caused me to close my eyes in pure bliss.

All of my thoughts were soon becoming irrational and everything began to get blurry. Just as my hands got under her top, my phone rang. After two rings neither of us could ignore it anymore and Syd took her lips off of my neck. I groaned as I reached for my cell phone and grabbed it off of the coffee table. With Syd still lying on top of me and her hands under my shirt, I took a glance at my caller ID and picked up. It was my mom. Leave it to my mom to call me when things were just getting interesting between Syd and I.

"Hey Mom." I said as Syd put her chin down on my chest and smiled.

"Hi Michael. I was just calling you to see how you were doing. I was making your favorite this evening, fettuccini al fredo, and I started to wonder how my son was doing."

"I'm doing good. I'm just finishing out this week and eager to come home. Syd is over here. We're watching a movie." Syd took that moment to start drawing patterns on my stomach with her fingers tips making me gasp. It didn't go unnoticed by my mom.

"Are you ok? Why did you gasp?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I just uhhh, hit my foot on the coffee table." I was never good at lying.

Sydney had to put her face into my chest to keep my mom from hearing her laugh in the background. I know my mom would be thrilled to find out we finally got together. But, it was something I wanted to tell her in person and would have to wait for this weekend.

"I see. How is my dear Sydney by the way? Tell her I said hello." I told Syd my mom said hi as she told me to say hi back to her.

"Syd says hi and she's doing well. We're actually not flying back on Saturday. We decided to drive back and refund our plane tickets."

"Oh lovely. Any particular reason you guys are driving back?" I knew that tone of voice in my mom and I knew that she knew something was going on. But I decided not to cave in.

"No. It was a last minute decision. Besides, it will save us some money."

"I can't wait to see you guys. Donovan is still sleeping on your bed. Even after I bought him a new pillow and put it at on the floor of my bed, he still won't come sleep in my room."

Oh my poor pup. How I missed Donny so much. I wish I could bring him up to San Francisco but I wouldn't have enough time for him. I'm always in and out of the apartment and going to classes. It would be hard for me to take care of him. Besides, he's much better off at home running around in the back yard and keeping my mom company.

"Aww, I miss Donovan. I'm excited to come home too. It'll be nice to spend a week at home and just relax with you."

"I know Michael. I'm looking forward to it too. I will make dinner for you and Sydney Sunday night. Tell her to come over, ok?" I didn't have to tell her. She heard my mom's voice through my cell phone and smiled up at me.

"Ok mom, I will."

"I will let you two kids go now. Take care. I will see you this weekend."

"Bye mom. Love you."

"Love you too, Michael."

**Syd's POV**

Hearing Vaughn tell his mother that he loved her was so cute. How many guys tell their moms they love them on the phone? Not too many. It was one of the things that made Vaughn who he was. He's always so caring and put his mom before anyone.

It was a good thing she called. I was getting a little carried away with Vaughn. And it's not like I wanted to stop or anything because I didn't. I was pretty close to not stopping after I slipped my hands under his t-shirt and started to feel his well-defined abs. I was reaching the point of no return after I started kissing his jaw and tasting his neck. Oh, what that boy does to me.

After Vaughn hung up with his mom I took my hands out from under his shirt and continued to lie on him with my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me as we held each other for a few minutes. None of us wanted to say anything in fear that it would ruin the moment.

If someone told me a month ago that this is where I would be, lying in Vaughn's arms while he rubs soothing circles on my back, I would've told them they were crazy. But this is exactly where I want to be.

The sounds from the movie are what brought us out of our daze. I looked to the TV to see Sonny getting out of his car and getting shot 40 times in the chest while blood is spilling everywhere. There was nothing more romantic than The Godfather.

I grabbed Vaughn's cell phone to look at the time. 11:00. I groaned as I read it. It was getting late and I had class the next day. As much as I wanted to just lie here forever, I needed to get going.

"Vaughn, I need to go." I said as I started to get up. But Vaughn pulled me back down to him.

"No, Syd. Stay with me."

"You know I want to…" Before I could finish my sentence, he interrupted.

"Good. It's settled then, you're staying with me tonight." I laughed. Sometimes Vaughn was too irresistible to say no to.

"As much as I want to, you know I can't. We both have class tomorrow."

"We could just skip it and do more of what we were doing before my mom called." Vaughn kissed me on the lips and made his way to the spot behind my ear. He found my sweet spot as a small moan escaped from my mouth. He started to trail wet kisses around my collar bone and on my throat.

"Vaughn… stop. If you keep doing that, I'm not going to leave." I said as I giggled.

"My plan is working then." I pulled up his head as my hands framed his face.

"If I stay here tonight, you know what will happen." It was true. If I stayed here tonight it would be very hard to control my emotions and my actions.

"Yeah, I know," He took a deep breath and continued. "I'd love to spend a night with you Syd. Not in that kind of way, but just to hold you in my arms all through the night and wake up to you by my side."

"You're making it hard for me to leave, pal." How could I leave after he said something like that?

"I know. But is it wrong to want to spend every moment with you?"

"No it's not wrong. Cause I want to spend every moment with you too."

He gave me a full dimpled smile, then picked up the palm of my hand and planted a kiss there. I slowly got up off of Vaughn and sat up on the couch. After taking a swig of water from the glass on the coffee table, I turned to him and ran my fingers along his jaw. When my fingers reached his chin, I put my finger on his adorable chin dimple.

"Alright, I'm gonna go." I said as my fingers continued to stroke his face.

"You sure now? It's my last offer."

"Yes I'm sure." I pulled him in for another long, searing kiss and then got up.

After putting on my coat, Vaughn walked me down the stairs and outside to my car. He started to shiver from the cold night air. I ran my hands up and down his arms trying to warm him up since he was only in a t-shirt. I felt the goose bumps under my fingers as the hair on his arms stood straight up. Before getting in my car he pulled me into his arms for a tight hug. We held each other for a good two minutes before finally pulling apart.

"I'll see you tomorrow Syd." He said as he placed a light kiss on my lips.  
"See you tomorrow Vaughn."

_**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**_


	9. Chapter 9

_A big thank you again for the reviews guys! I'm trying to update as fast as I can, but this semester is really kicking me in the ass. Stupid college, who needs it right? Hehe. Enjoy the chap and keep reviewing!_

Chapter 9

**Syd's POV**

Thursday afternoon I met up with Francie for lunch after my 12:15 class. I met her at this small Japanese restaurant named Spirals, two minutes away from campus. I hadn't seen much of her this week except for in the mornings before class and late at night. She's been in and out going to class and I've been hanging out with Vaughn.

After a few minutes of waiting, the hostess took us to a table in the corner of the restaurant, right next to the front window. It was a small restaurant with only about 15 small tables around. Each table was covered with a clean white tablecloth and had a small vase of flowers sitting on top.

The place wasn't busy at all as I looked around and only saw a few people sitting around and feeding themselves with chopsticks. The walls were painted a tope color as Japanese paintings hung on the walls. Directly across from where Francie and I were sitting was Monet's painting of the Japanese lily pads.

When the waitress came over to ask us what we wanted, I ordered sushi while Fran ordered some Teriyaki chicken. It was nice to get in some girl time with her.

"So what have you and Michael been up to lately? Other than not being able to keep your hands off of each other." Francie said as she sipped her diet coke.

"Just hanging out. We watched The Godfather last night."

"Sounds like fun. So have you guys done the deed yet?" I nearly choked on the water I was just swallowing. Fran was never the type to be subtle.

"Francie!" I said a little too loudly.

"What? Come on Syd. You guys have been with each other every living minute of the day. Plus you're crazy about each other. Is it wrong to assume?"

"We've only been together for a few days. You really think Vaughn and I would move that fast?" Well, we did get a little overboard on his couch last night. But, I think I'll keep that thought to myself.

"You and Michael have wanted each other for as long as I've known you. It's just took you a long time to realize that. So yes, I maybe thought that you guys wouldn't waste anymore time since it took you long enough to even admit your feelings to each other."

"When the time comes for Vaughn and I to… you know… then it will happen. But, we just started out. We're not going to rush anything."

Just then the waitress came over with our food. I always loved coming to this place because the service was so fast. After the waitress put the two plates in front of us, we dug in. The sushi tasted delicious.

"I see. I fully understand what you're saying," Francie put another spoon full of rice in her mouth before continuing. "Oh, do you guys need a ride to the airport on Saturday, by the way?"

"No. Actually Vaughn and I decided to drive back home tomorrow morning after my class. We cancelled our flights this morning."

"Really? How come you guys aren't flying? It's a lot faster."

"Vaughn brought the idea up last night. He just thought it'd be more fun if we drove back. We might stop in Santa Barbara on the way home." I fiddled with my napkin on my lap.

"Oh how sweet! I wonder how your dad is going to react when you tell him about you and Michael."

The thought hadn't crossed my mind since the night Vaughn and I got together. I didn't even think about my dad or how he's going react when I tell him Vaughn and I are dating. He seems to really like Vaughn. But that's only because he's only been my friend all these years. I sure don't want my dad taking Vaughn out to our backyard and hitting him across the head with a baseball bat.

"Oh god, Fran. I didn't even think about that."

"I know. I like your dad and everything, but he doesn't seem to come off as the type of guy that likes his daughter dating." Funny, I'm 19 years old now and my dad still thinks I shouldn't be dating guys.

"True. Well, he'll have to deal. Besides, he likes Vaughn. I'm not sure he'll like him after I tell him he's now my boyfriend."

"Boy would I like to see the look on your dad's face and Vaughn's when you tell him the truth. That's going to be priceless."

"I should savor my time with him now before my dad kills him." I say laughing.

I doubt anything like that would happen. The worse that's going to happen is that my dad is going to have a talk with Vaughn and basically threaten him into taking good care of me.

"That's a good move Syd."

**Vaughn's POV**

Man, was Government boring today. My professor was going on and on about the war and the President. None of it interested me so I started to play Tetris on my cell phone instead. The sound of his boring voice echoed off the walls of the classroom. The sunlight was just creeping in through the clouds and started to hit the top of my desk. The class went by slow and eventually it was done. My spring break just officially started.

As I was walking out of the building I heard someone calling my name from behind. It was Weiss and he was jogging towards me. He must've just got out of class. Or, he decided not to go. That wouldn't surprise me at all. By the time he reached me he was slightly out of breath.

"Hey Mike. I didn't see you this morning."

"Yeah I got up early to run before going to class. What time did you get home last night? I crashed around 11:30 after Syd left." We started walking towards the parking garage where my car was parked.

"Around midnight. Francie was killing me while tutoring. I couldn't concentrate because they were showing the Yankees vs. Angels game on ESPN. Did you catch any of that?"

"No. Syd and I were watching The Godfather." Weiss started to chuckle and I didn't know why.

"Why are you laughing?" I said as I hit him in the arm.

"It looks like you guys were enjoying the movie." I lifted my eyebrows up in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Mike, did you not look at yourself in the mirror this morning? You have a couple hickeys on your neck." I cringed as I remembered seeing those after I got out of the shower. I forgot that my sweatshirt didn't cover them well.

"Oh shit. I forgot to wear a jacket that hid my neck this morning. No wonder why the girl that sits next to me in Government kept staring at my neck."

"Yeah dude. You have Syd's love bites. So were you guys really watching The Godfather? Or was it just playing in the background while you guys were doing whatever you were doing?"

After walking up to the 2nd floor we found my car and got in. Weiss takes the bus on Tuesdays and Thursdays because he only has one class. To his luck he found me and didn't have to take the bus back home.

"We watched the beginning of the movie." I said as I pulled out of the garage.

"That's a good attempt."

When Weiss and I got home he collapsed on the couch and took a nap while I decided that I would start packing up my stuff. I took down my large Nike bag from my closet and started to organize my clothes. Since we were only going home for a week I wouldn't need that much clothes.

I'm thrilled to go home and see my mom. I'm even more thrilled to tell her that Sydney and I are now a couple. I know she is going to be so happy when she finds out. She's loved Syd from day one and treats her like she's her daughter.

Growing up, Syd was always at my house. Before we got our licenses my mom would drive us wherever we wanted to go. When we reached high school, Syd would go to my basketball and baseball games and sit in the stands with mom. It was always nice looking up into the bleachers and seeing my two favorite girls.

After packing up a few t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, shoes, socks, and boxers, I was set. I didn't need to bring any jackets with me. I had a couple at home just in case it gets cold and I need to wear one. Plus, in case I need any dress clothes they were at home too.

I dozed off for an hour or two until Syd called me and told me to come over. As I was leaving the apartment I saw that Weiss was still knocked out on the couch. One leg was hanging off the couch as his mouth was wide open. His snoring was filling up the whole room and I was glad I was leaving. I let out a small laugh before closing the door and locking it up.

I made it to Syd's place in no time. After knocking a couple of times, Francie opened up the door.

"Hey Francie." I said as I walked in.

"Hi Michael. Syd's in her room."

"Thanks. What are you doing for Spring Break?" Francie walked over and plopped herself down on the couch.

"Just hanging out here. Syd told me you guys were driving home tomorrow. Have fun!"

"Thanks, you too."

I walked into Syd's room to see her bent over in front of her closet, unaware of my presence. I was loving every minute of the view. She was obviously looking for something on the floor of her closet. After standing there for a minute I decided to make my presence known.

"Hey beautiful!" I said as she turned around and gave me one of her adorable smiles.

"Hey there gorgeous." She came over and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm glad you're here. You can help me pack."

I went over and sat on her bed. She had a small luggage case open on the floor, but it was empty. I sat there looking around her room as she went back to rummaging around her closet. A huge Coldplay poster hung on the wall opposite of her bed. Her desk was in the corner where her laptop sat on it. A few papers and books were scattered next to her computer. Her dresser sat under the window with a few picture frames on it.

One of the frames had a picture of her and her mom when she was young. Syd resembled her mom so much. The picture must have been taken when Syd was around 4 or 5. Her mom was sitting on the stairs in front of their house and Sydney is in her lap. Her mom's arms are tightly wrapped around Syd's body as their faces are pressed cheek to cheek. Both of them were showing vibrant smiles.

The second frame was of her and her dad at graduation last year. Jack had his arm around Syd as they stood next to a tree in front of the student parking lot. He looked so proud of her that day.

The last picture was of us at Homecoming. It was the picture taken at school in front of the light blue background. I was standing behind her in my suit with my two hands on her waist. She had her hands on top of mine and was dressed in a gorgeous black dress. A smile came to my face as I remembered every detail of that night.

**Syd's POV**

After digging through my closet I walked over to my bed and put down a pile of clothing. Vaughn was just sitting there silently looking around my room. It seemed that even though he's been in here more times than I can remember, he looked around like he was seeing it for the first time.

After folding up a few t-shirts and jeans, I put them at the bottom of my luggage. I reached over to grab my bras and panties when Vaughn grabbed my pile of bras first.

"Yeah… You won't be needing these." He said as he held one of them in the air.

"Vaughn!" I yelled and threw one of my socks at him.

"What?"

"You're supposed to be helping me. Instead you're sitting there looking at my bras."

"Syd, we're only going for a week. You don't need that many clothes and you don't need my help."

"Fine. You can just sit there and look cute then." He laughed and then stood up.

"Can I look cute sitting over there by your computer? I want to check some baseball scores."

He walked over my luggage bag and sat himself down on the desk chair. I continued to pack up my clothes while I saw Vaughn looking at the Yahoo sports page.

After folding my last article of clothing, my jean jacket, I zipped my suitcase shut and stood it up against the wall.

I walked over to Vaughn and put my arms around his neck as he continued to look at the box score for the Giants game. Just then a loud grumble came from his stomach causing us both to laugh.

"I see that you're hungry there, buddy." I said as I kissed his cheek.

"I'm starving. Do you wanna order a pizza?"

"Yeah sure. Let me ask Fran if she wants some."

I let go of Vaughn and walked out of my room. Francie was no longer on the couch and I could hear her milling around in her room.

"Hey Fran? Vaughn and I are going to order a pizza. Do you want some?" She was standing at her closet peering into it when I walked in.

"No, that's ok. Actually, I'm going out to dinner with Will tonight," She said as she grabbed a red lacy top from her closet and put it up to her body. "Do you think this looks good with the skirt I'm wearing?"

"Yeah, it looks great," Francie had such a good taste in clothes. I wish I had her fashion sense sometimes. "When did he ask you and where are you going to dinner?"

"He called me a couple of hours ago. We're going to this Italian place called Buca di Bepo's. It's supposed to be really good."

"Oh ok. Well, Vaughn and I are just going to hang out here if you want to bring Will back after dinner."

"Ok, we'll see what Will wants to do."

"Have fun Fran! I want details tomorrow!" I said as I walked out of her room and made my way across the kitchen.

When I got back to my room Vaughn was still at my computer. I grabbed my cell phone off my dresser and dialed Toto's number. Without even asking Vaughn what he wanted, I ordered a large 2 without anchovies. It was to be delivered to my apartment in half an hour.

When the pizza arrived, Vaughn paid the pizza guy and made his way over to the couch where I was sitting. He put the pizza down on the coffee table and put two slices on our paper plates. I grabbed the remote from the love seat sitting perpendicular to the bigger couch and flipped it on to a re-run of Friends.

We sat there eating our pizza and laughing at the TV. They were showing the one episode where Ross buys leather pants and wears them on a date to some girl's apartment. During the date the leather pants makes Ross hot so he goes to the bathroom and takes them off. When he goes to put them back on, they won't fit so he starts putting water, powder, and lotion all over his legs. Eventually, he has to come out of the bathroom with no pants on and his date kicks him out of her apartment. Vaughn and I couldn't stop laughing.

Towards the end of the night, after watching TV and downing ¾ the box of pizza, we made it back to my room and were lying on my bed. Both of us were lying on our backs, staring at the ceiling as we continued to talk about old times. Vaughn had both of his hands behind his head as my hands lay on my stomach.

"Do you remember that time in 7th grade when you told me you didn't want to be my friend anymore?" He said as he nudged the side of my head with his elbow.

"What when did that happen?"

"We were at the St. Robert's carnival and I went out the Ferris wheel with Allison Walker. After I got off the ride you told me you didn't want to be friends with me anymore." I suddenly started to laugh because I did remember that.

"Oh yeah! I think you cried when I told you that."

"I didn't cry Syd. I was just deeply hurt."

I turned to my side so I could face Vaughn. He was still looking up at the ceiling as I traced the letters of his gap sweatshirt. I stayed silent as I continued to survey him. His hair was perfectly messy and his forehead was clear of wrinkles. The scruff and stubble around his mouth appeared to be getting a little longer since I'm assuming he hasn't shaved in a couple of days. But I loved the scruff around his mouth. It made him look so much sexier.

"I was mad at you because you said you were going to ride the Ferris wheel with me. Then I saw you get off the ride with Allison and I got mad." I really was mad at him that night. I remember feeling a little pang of jealousy when I saw him with another girl.

"I'm sorry Syd. If it makes you feel any better, she asked me to go on the ride with her." Vaughn turned on his side so he was facing me. His thumb started to run down my cheek as he stroked my face.

I leaned in and started to kiss his lips softly. I pulled away and started placing kisses over his eyes, on his forehead, on his nose, on his chin, and then finally back to his mouth. Our kiss started getting heavy as Vaughn's tongue traced my bottom lip, seeking approval. I gladly opened my mouth as his tongue entered and had it's way with mine.

After a couple of minutes he pulled away and looked up at my clock sitting on my dresser. It was already ten minutes past midnight.

"Syd, I have to go." He said as he got up and started to put on his shoes.

I didn't want him to leave. The night was going so well and I didn't want it to end. When we were lying there on my bed and I was staring into his eyes, it made my heart swell. The tingly feeling ran all the way throughout my body from my finger tips to the tips of my toes. I knew what I wanted and I wanted to wake up to his same smiling face in the morning.

"Vaughn..." I grabbed his hand after and made him sit back down on the bed again.

"Yeah Syd?" He ran his thumb over the top of my hand over my knuckles.

"Stay with me tonight."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey guys! Thank you again for the reviews. All of you are the sweetest and I'm so happy you like this story. This is just a way for me to keep busy in between my college classes.:) Although, maybe I should stop spending so much time in class thinking about how I'm going to write the next chap for this story and actually pay attention. But anyways, here it is. This is probably my least favorite chapters I've written cause it took me about 3 resltess nights to write and it still sounds somewhat off. But, it's more of a transition chap and had to get them on a road. Enjoy!_

Chapter 10.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Syd I have to go." I said as I stood up and started to look for my shoes.

I didn't want to leave, but I had to. If I would've continued to lie there kissing her and holding her in my arms, then I don't know if I would've had the will power to walk away. I don't want things to go too fast with Syd. I don't want her to feel pressured into thinking that we should be spending nights together.

"Vaughn…" She grabbed my hand and pulled me back so I was sitting on the side of her bed.

My heart started to pound. It was pounding so loud I could hear it coming through my ears. I was sure Syd could hear it. If she didn't hear it, then she had to notice the little drops of sweat coming from the top of my forehead.

"Stay with me tonight." Syd said as she gripped my hand even harder.

Her words shocked me. I really didn't know what to think of it. She wanted me to stay the night with her. I sure didn't think it was a great idea, but how could I deny her of anything?

"Syd… I don't think that's a good…" She put her fingers up to my lips to stop me from speaking.

"Shut up and just get into bed." I let out a loud laugh. Did she just tell me to shut up and get into her bed? "We're not gonna do… you know… that. I just don't want you to leave tonight. Ok?"

"Ok." I brought her hand up to my lips and kissed her palm.

As I was taking off my shoes again, Syd climbed off of the bed and went towards her bathroom. I really didn't know what to do after that. Do I take off my jeans and sleep in my boxers? Would she be ok if I was in my boxers? I'm sure she's seen my boxers before, just not me in my boxers.

Just then, she emerged from her bathroom with her hair down and clad in a white tank top and dark blue pajama pants. She gave me a smile and then a laugh when she saw me still sitting on the side of her bed with my sweatshirt and jeans on.

"Vaughn. You can't sleep in that. For one, you're going to die of heat. And secondly, that's extremely uncomfortable to sleep in." She was right, but I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Well, I just wasn't sure if you were cool with me in my boxers."

"Vaughn, seriously. It's fine."

She gave me a peck on the lips as she climbed on her bed and under the covers. I walked over to the light switch by the door and flipped it off. While walking back to the bed, I could see in the dim light that Syd's eyes were closed. She looked like an angel lying there. Her brown hair was spread all over her pillow as her chest rose up and down. She was beautiful.

I took off my sweatshirt and then my jeans, placing it on her desk chair. I took my shoes and put them by my clothes after stuffing my socks in them. After pulling back the covers and sliding in, the cool sheets felt good against my skin.

"Goodnight Vaughn." Syd whispered as she pulled my arm around her body. I snuggled up close to her and then kissed her bare shoulder.

"Good night Syd."

**Syd's POV**

The next morning I woke up with blissful smile on my face. As I looked up at the clock above my bed, it read 8:05. I had about 20 more minutes in bed before I had to get up and go to class. Vaughn's arm was still securely wrapped around my waist as I turned carefully to face him.

The sunlight was slightly peeking in from the blinds and hitting Vaughn's face. His forehead was wrinkle free as a slight smile came from his mouth. His left hand was tucked underneath his face as he took long, slow breaths.

Vaughn looked so peaceful when he slept. When I told him last night to stay, he had the most adorable and shocked look on his face. I knew right away that he got the wrong idea. I could tell he was relieved when I told him I just didn't want him to leave last night.

Last night was probably the best I've ever slept since I've been in San Francisco. Ever since I left LA, I've had a hard time getting to sleep and sleeping through the night because I wasn't in my own bed. I was in a new one, in a new apartment. Even when I woke up in the morning I would sometimes forget where I was.

I continued to watch Vaughn sleep and I couldn't resist the urge to touch his face. I ran my fingers lightly over his forehead and down his cheek. I was trying hard not to wake him up, but eventually he started to stir. I watched as his eyelids flickered open and he took in his surroundings. A huge smile played out on his face as I continued to run my fingers over his jaw.

"Hey." He said as he brought his hand up to my shoulder and started to rub up and down my arm.

"Hey." I responded.

"Thanks for last night." He winked and then raised his eyebrows.

"Vaughn!" I lightly punched him in the arm and then laughed.

"I was just kidding. Last night was perfect. Going to sleep with you in my arms, there isn't a better feeling."

"Same here."

We stayed there for several minutes, just looking at each other and taking in all that has happened in the last week. I couldn't imagine being any happier.

I looked at my clock again and let out a small groan. I had to get out of bed and get going to class. I stretched my arms over my head before climbing over Vaughn and getting off the bed.

I grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater from my closet and made my way to the bathroom. After freshening up and getting dressed, I walked back into my room to see that Vaughn fell back asleep. I didn't want to disturb him so before leaving I lightly kissed him on his forehead.

A small moan came from his lips.

"Are you going to class now?" He opened his eyes and then yawned.

"Yeah, I'll be back in an hour and a half. You wanna leave for home after I get back?"

"Yeah sure. I should actually get up and head home. I need to take a shower and tidy up the apartment before we leave."

"Ok, well just swing by after you're done and then we're gone." I gave him a soft kiss on the lips and left.

**Vaughn's POV**

I stayed in Syd's bed for a few minutes before getting dressed and leaving. To my luck, Francie wasn't up yet and I didn't have to run into her somewhere in the apartment with her giving me weird looks.

I wasn't so fortunate when I got home. Surprisingly, Weiss was already up. When I walked in he was sitting at the kitchen table skimming through the newspaper. He looked up when I entered and had the Cheshire cat grin on his face.

"What?" I said before he could even say anything.

"Where were you last night Mikey? I see you're dressed in the same clothes as you were yesterday." His eyebrows raised in curiosity as I threw my keys down on the kitchen table.

"I spent the night at Syd's."

"Yeah you did!" Weiss came reached across the table and gave me a fist pound.

"Before you get all excited and nasty thoughts go running through that little head of yours, nothing happened. We just slept together."

"What do you mean you just slept together?"

"Exactly what it means. We slept together in the same bed. That's all, really." Weiss slumped his shoulders in disappointment. How he's so interested in my sex life is beyond me.

"Aww, man. Seriously? Sorry."

"What are you sorry for? I'm not sorry for anything. It was one of the best nights in my life. It's not always about sex you know." He looked up from the newspaper and shook his head at me. "Why are you shaking your head?"

"Cause you're a freakin' saint Mike! Now I know why you get all these hot girls. You're too good of a guy. I mean, really. What guy spends a night with his girlfriend and is incredibly happy that they just slept in the same bed?"

"Me. I'm one of those guys. And second of all, I don't have a bunch of hot girls, nor do I want them. I only want one girl and that's the one I have."

"Yeah, well when are you and your girl leaving?"

"Pretty soon. Her class is done at 10:45 so after I'm done with things here, I'm gonna go pick her up and we'll be out of here."

After taking a quick shower, I went to my room and attempted to clean things up a little bit. I threw away some old papers on my desk and vacuumed around my bed. I dusted around my dresser and desk. I put away all my extra clothes in my closet and drawers. When I come back, I wanted to come back to a clean room.

After tidying up a bit I went online to pay my cable bill and wrote my rent check. I scrolled up and down the ESPN page looking for baseball news and recent hockey transitions. I even checked the weather for the week in LA.

Syd called right when I was shutting down my computer. I grabbed my Nike bag and said a quick goodbye to Weiss.

"Alright Weiss, I'll see you in a week." I waved to him as I opened the front door.

"Later Mike. Say hi to your mom for me. And, uhh, have fun with Sydney." He gave a smart-ass smirk as I rolled my eyes and shut the door.

**Syd's POV**

When I got home from class I immediately called Vaughn to come get me. I wanted to be on the road as early as possible since traffic can get pretty nasty on Fridays.

I threw my backpack on my desk chair and made sure everything I needed was in my suitcase. I didn't bother with bringing any books or work home with me. I wanted to relax on Spring Break and not have to fret over schoolwork. Francie came into my room just as I was closing my closet doors.

"Hey, how was dinner last night?" I asked her as she sat on the edge of my bed.

"It was great. That place I told you about last night, Buca di Bepo's, they have amazing food. You should really bring Michael there when you get the chance."

"Yeah? How was being with Will?"

"Oh Syd, he is so sweet. I really like him. I've only known him for a few weeks, but he is a really great guy. You know how I usually get nervous when I talk to guys? I have no problem talking with Will."

"That's great Fran. I'm so happy for you. What did you guys do after dinner?" I took a seat next to her on the bed and dusted some lint off the comforter.

"Nothing, we kinda just drove around a bit. He was telling me all these stories from when he was in high school and talking about how he almost got kicked off of his school paper last year for criticizing the football team. He is a riot. I got in around 1am."

I sat there and thought to myself for a second. If she got in at 1am, maybe she doesn't know Vaughn spent the night. Although, she might have noticed his car parked outside when she got in. I decided to tell her anyways. She is my roommate and best friend after all. I just didn't want her to assume anything.

"So… Vaughn spent the night here." I just spit out as Francie's eyes opened wide and she brought a hand up to her mouth.

"Oh, Syd!" She squeaked out.

"No, nothing happened between us at all. When he was going to leave, I just told him to stay."

"Did he know what you were implying?"

"At first, he had the most adorable, confused look on his face. But, after he got the point that I just wanted him to sleep with me." Francie let out a long sigh.

"Aww, you guys are the cutest, Syd."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Francie and I both walked out of my room as I went to answer. I opened it up to see Vaughn smiling broadly.

"Hi. You ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah. Come on in. Just let me get my stuff." Vaughn walked in and looked at Francie who still had the biggest grin on her face.

"Why are you smiling?" He curiously asked Francie.

"Nothing. You guys are the most adorable couple, that's all."

Vaughn's cheeks got a little red as he smiled and said thank you. Watching him blush was probably the cutest thing I have ever seen.

"Ok Fran. I'll see you in a bit." I gave her a hug while Vaughn grabbed my suitcase from my hand.

"I'll see you guys next week!"

When we got to Vaughn's car downstairs, he put my luggage in the back as we both buckled up in our seats. There wasn't too much traffic when we got on the freeway, but it was a bit slower than usual.

While driving down highway 101, I looked out my window as we slowly passed Candlestick Park and the San Francisco airport. There was a comfortable silence in the car as Vaughn and I were just enjoying the soft sounds coming from the radio.

As I continued to stare out my window I felt Vaughn's hand on top of mine and turned my head to look at him. He didn't say anything, but just gave me a big smile as one of his hands gripped the steering wheel, and the other was enveloped in mine. I ran the pad of my thumb over his knuckles as I glanced down at our entwined hands.

"Vaughn?"

"Yeah Syd?" He answered still staring straight ahead at the road.

"I'm really happy I'm with you." I said as I brought his hand up to my mouth and kissed it.

"Me too."

**Reviews are welcome and appreciated :)**


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey guys. Just updating so you have something to read before Alias tonight. :) I'm so excited! Have a great night and enjoy the chap!_

Chapter 11.

**Syd's POV**

The loud pattering of the rain hitting the window awakened me from my nap. I had my seat slightly tilted back with my head resting against my hand on the armrest. The windshield wipers were moving rapidly back and forth on the windshield as the rain continued to pour. I looked at Vaughn andhe was slightly struggling to see what was ahead of us.

"Where are we?" I asked as I sat up and brought the seat to a normal position.

"We're right around Fresno. The rain started pouring about 25 minutes ago. It's gotten worse ever since." Vaughn gripped the steering wheel with both hands and took a short glance at me.

"How long was I sleeping for?"

"I'd say a good two hours."

I let out a small laugh. When we were passing through Gilroy I made Vaughn put the Norah Jones CD on. He warned me I was going to fall asleep and he needed someone to talk to while driving. I ignored him and said I would be fine.

"I'm sorry Vaughn. I didn't think I was tired." I reached over my armrest and patted him on the leg.

"It's ok. But you didn't even get through the second song," He said laughing. "But you looked so comfortable right there that I didn't have the heart to wake you up."

"Thanks, but you could've." I patted his leg one last time and then brought my hand back over to the armrest.

"Look Syd, I was listening to the radio and it looks like this rain is not only going to get worse, but it's not supposed to clear up until tomorrow morning. I was thinking that we should probably get off of the road. We're about 3 and a half hours away from LA and 1 hour from Santa Barbara. I don't think we can make it home and even if we went to Santa Barbara, the weather is horrible."

"You think we should find a motel or something?" I said as I looked at him.

"If that's ok with you that is. I think it's for the best."

"Yeah, sure. It's fine."

I was a little disappointed we couldn't make it to Santa Barbara and the weather was halting us from our plans. But, the rain was unrelenting and it wasn't safe for us to be driving in those conditions.

Vaughn pulled over on the next exit and we found a Comfort Inn next to a couple other motels and a small variety of restaurants and fast food joints. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, Vaughn went to hop out of the car.

"Stay here. I'm going to go get us a room and then park closer to wherever our room is."

Shutting the door, he then ran to the entrance throwing the hoodof his sweatshirt over his head. I watched him run across the parking lot wishing he didn't have a hood. Vaughn looks so incredibly sexy when his hair waswet.

I sat there pulling at the split ends in my hair and listened to the Norah Jones CD. After about 10 minutes, Vaughn came running back in the car and hopped in his seat.

"We have room 11. It's around the corner on the first floor." He said while starting the engine.

After parking, Vaughn gave me the key to our room and told me to go inside while he got the bags. I jumped out of the car and made my way in the room.

Turning on the light, I stood in the doorway surveying the room. It was your typical hotel room. The room was covered in ivory colored wallpaper with small flowers. There was a large table in the corner with a lamp sitting on the top of it. Hanging over the bed was a replica of a cheap painting. A king size bed sat in front of a large TV with the remote control and a piece of paper with the movie selection on top of it. To the left of the doorway was a small closet, sink, and door to the bathroom.

Vaughn walked in behind me with our bags in his hand. He put our luggage down next to the TV and sat down on the bed. After taking off his shoes, he took off his sweatshirt accidentally bringing his t-shirt half way up his body. A smile crept on my face as I got a glimpse of his well-defined stomach and chest.

"You sure you're ok with this Syd? Us staying at motel for the night?" Vaughn walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder as I stood in the same spot since I first entered.

"Yeah… it'll be fine." I gave him a quick kiss on the lips and then went into the bathroom.

**Vaughn's POV**

As Syd entered the bathroom I went over to the desk and took a seat on the hard woodened chair. I felt really bad for having to pull over to a motel for the night. But, we were at a risk for a car accident if we continued to drive in that weather. While driving, I could hardly see 20 ft. ahead of me. I didn't want to worry Syd too much so I asked her if it was cool if we could pull over here.

This definitely wasn't the way I wanted our spring break to start. We couldn't even make it to Santa Barbara. I was hoping to make it to Santa Barbara tonight and stay there overnight, then drive to LA in the morning. Tomorrow morning when we leave from here, we won't even have time to stop in Santa Barbara. My mom and Jack are expecting us and I don't want to keep them waiting.

I picked up the room service menu sitting next to the lamp and began to look through it. I was getting quite hungry. Taking a look at my watch it read 5:18. It was a little early for dinner, but Syd and I hadn't eaten lunch.

After rummaging through the room service menu, Syd emerged from the bathroom and walked towards me. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and the sat herself on my lap. Her arms looped around my neck as mine wrapped around her waist.

"Are you disappointed we have to stay in Fresno tonight? I feel real bad we had to stop." I asked.

"Seriously Vaughn, it's fine. I'm fine. We wouldn't be able to do anything anyways if we were in Santa Barbara because of the rain."

She took her arms away from my neck and turned towards the table. While she flipped through the room service menu, I continued to stare at her.

"I'm hungry. You want to order room service? I don't really feel like going out in the rain." She said while still glancing down at the menu.

"Yeah, that sounds good. What do you want?" I pushed her up off my lap so I could walk over to the telephone and order.

"Ummm, I'll take a burger and fries. Can you tell them to put the mayo on the side for me?"

"Sure. Let me call."

Walking over and sitting on the bed, I dialed for room service. After ordering 2 burgers and fries, I flipped on the TV as Syd continued to sit by the desk. After scanning through some channels, I found that Black Sheep was on. It was just at the part where David Spade comes back to the cabin covered in white stuff and Chris Farley asks, "What? Did you fall into some mud or something?"

Eventually, Syd made her way over to the bed and we watched the movie until our food came. Our food finally arrived 20 minutes later. I tipped the guy and then brought the food over to the bed.

"C'mon Syd, let's eat on the bed." I said as I put the tray of food down on the bed.

"Vaughn, you're gonna get ketchup all over the bed spread. I know you." She sat up cross-legged on the bed as I sat across from her.

"If I do, I'll let you hit me." Stuffing a fry in my mouth, I up looked at her.

"It's a deal."

We sat in silence eating our meal and glancing back at the movie. I was on my last two French fries when I accidentally dropped a spot of ketchup on the bed spread. Hoping that Syd didn't see, I quickly wiped it with my napkin and acted like nothing happened.

Unfortunately, Syd saw everything and a big smile grew on her face. She knew me too well. I couldn't go one meal without keeping the ketchup on my plate. I thought she was going to say something, but continued to finish off her burger.

After we were both through with our meal, I took the tray of empty plates out to the hall and placed it in front of our door. I made my way back to the bed were Syd was sitting up against the headboard with her hand on her stomach. Thinking that I got away with the ketchup incident, I went to sit next to her when she jumped up and pounced on me.

I was so surprised by her attack that I actually yelled and lost my balance. My back hit the floor hard as Syd landed on top of me giggling. I could feel her body laughing against mine as I cupped her face in my hands.

"What was that for?"

"You lost the bet so this is your punishment." She placed both of her hands on the floor on either side of my head. Her forearms slightly touched my ears as they were tickling me.

"I said you could hit me. Not tackle me like a linebacker!" I moved to get up but she had me trapped on the floor.

"Yeah, well, I thought you would like this better."

She moved her head down and kissed me hard on the lips. My hands moved down to her back and felt the patch of bare skin where her sweater was slightly pulled up. Just as I was about to move my hands further under her sweater, she got up and off of me quickly, leaving me lying there on the floor.

"Ok, I'm going to go take a bath. I need to go warm myself up from the cold weather." And just like that she grabbed her bag and disappeared into the bathroom again.

I continued to lie there thinking what in the world just happened. First she tackles me and then gives me a mind-blowing kiss. After only giving me a taste, she gets up quickly and says she has to take a bath? That girl was playing tricks on me.

I got up and sat myself on the bed again. If Syd wanted to play, then I was game.

**Syd's POV**

I walked to the bathroom and took out a pair of pajama bottoms and an old gray Roxy t-shirt. After placing them next to the bathtub, I plugged the bottom of the tub and started to fill it with steaming hot water. After the tub was full, I discarded my clothes and stepped in.

It felt so good and relaxing to lie there in the tub. I put my head back to rest on the edge of the tub and closed my eyes. I knew I left Vaughn there stunned after kissing him and then getting up like I didn't want anymore. Sometimes it is just so much fun to mess with him. But, that's what he gets for being so stubborn. He insisted on eating on the bed when I knew he would spill. It was Vaughn after all. Having ketchup fall off his plate was inevitable.

I must have dozed off while lying in the tub because when I opened my eyes, the water was getting slightly cold and my fingertips were beginning to shrivel up.

I got out of the tub and wrapped a big towel around my body. After drying myself off, I slipped on my pajamas and headed out of the bathroom. Vaughn was now lying on the bed with two pillows under his head, staring straight at the TV.

Climbing on the bed, I propped myself up on one elbow, lying fairly close to him.

"What are you watching?" I asked as I took my hand and placed it on his chest.

"Just Sports Center." He responded without looking at me.

"Oh… Do you want to order a movie or something? There's nothing really on."

"Yeah sure, if you want."

He still wasn't looking up at me so I leaned down and started placing wet kisses on his jaw. I knew he liked that and for sure it would elicit a reaction from him. Instead of him responding by wrapping his arms around me or kissing me back, he moved his head away from my lips.

"Syd, can you move a little to your right? I'm trying to watch some baseball highlights." He said as I gazed at him with my mouth open.

I was shocked at first. I didn't know how to react. That was until I caught on to his little game. He was giving me a little payback for what I did to him before going into the bathroom. If he didn't want to kiss and cuddle with me, then I wasn't going to be the one to give in.

I pushed myself off the bed and went over to my backpack. I pulled out the newest issue of Cosmo and made my way over to the desk. After turning on the desk lamp I started to flip through the pages slowly. I wasn't really interested in the content of the magazine, I was just using it for show. Out of the corner of my eye I was waiting for Vaughn to look at me.

After 25 minutes, Vaughn still hadn't gotten off the bed or even took one glance at me. I was becoming inpatient. He was better at this game than I thought. I closed my magazine and stood up, walking directly in front of the TV. I stretched, lifting up my arms, knowing that my t-shirt would rise up and show off my stomach. I let out a deep yawn.

"Vaughn. Maybe you should change into something more comfortable." I said, hoping to get his attention.

"Nah, I'm cool for now." He then put his hand up and motioned for me to get out of the way.

Stomping away from the TV, I went over by the sink area. Vaughn didn't look like he was going to give in any time soon and I was tired. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and then made it back to the bed. By the time I got back Vaughn had changed into a t-shirt and shorts.

"All done with the bathroom?" He said and got off the bed.

"Yep."

It was only 10:45, but I really was tired. I slipped under the covers and turned the TV to the news. I wanted to stay up for Jay Leno since Ross the intern was on, but I didn't think my body would let me. Ross the intern is hilarious.

As Vaughn exited the bathroom he flipped off all the lights but left the TV. I turned on my side facing away from him while he slipped under the blankets. I pulled the blankets up to my chin, suddenly feeling cold that Vaughn didn't have his arms wrapped around me like last night.

I still wasn't ready to give in yet. I knew what he was doing and I was doing the same. We were ignoring each other seeing who would be the first one to crack. We both continued to lie in bed, silent, watching the news. My eyelids began to get heavy and soon I could feel them closing.

Suddenly, the TV turned off and I felt the bed move. Vaughn scooted closer to me as his legs entangled in mine. His right arm draped around my stomach and he brought his lips to my ear.

"You win." He said then kissed my neck and snuggled closer to me.

**Vaughn's POV**

As soon as Syd exited the bathroom from her bath, I put my game face on and tried my best to ignore her. It was a little hard to do after she came over to me and started to trace her fingers across my chest. I almost lost it when she was kissing my jaw. But, I never like to lose so I told her she was blocking the TV.

Boy, did she love that. The look on her face was priceless. I tried not to let out a laugh or even crack a smile. It was much easier to ignore her while she was sitting at the desk reading her magazine. I was actually paying close attention to the TV and didn't look at her once. I knew she was waiting for me to look at her and I didn't want to get caught. It wasn't the hardest task, but my eyes seem to always want to watch her.

When she went to stand in front of the TV and her shirt lifted up, my heart started to pound and I felt my palms getting sweaty. Just the sight of her bare stomach got my heart to flutter. But, I continued to act like I didn't care and motioned her to move.

I really thought she was going to break at that moment. She knew exactly what she was doing when she stretched in front of me, but I wasn't going to give in that early. While she was in the bathroom, I slipped on my shorts and sleeping shirt.

After we were all snuggled up in bed with the lights off and the TV still on, I saw her lying on her side away from me. She was curled up and looked so comfortable. Her smooth, shiny hair was spread out on the pillow and I wanted nothing more to cuddle with her.

I suddenly couldn't take it anymore. I flipped off the TV and scooted over to her side of the bed. Putting my arm around her waist, I drew her body closer to mine.

"You win." I whispered into her ear, kissed her, and then laid my head down on the same pillow.


	12. Chapter 12

_Ok, I'm starting to update this fic like crazy so I hope you guys are enjoying it. Cause I have a feeling the next couple of weeks are gonna be a little busy for mesince Chemistry is starting to kick me in the ass :) So they made it home... enter Jack and Vaughn's mom..._

Chapter 12.

**Vaughn's POV**

I awakened slightly passed 9 and looked to see that Syd was still sleeping peacefully. Her head was securely pillowed on my left arm and I had no feeling of it whatsoever. It was completely numb. Slowly, trying my best not to wake her, I slid my arm out as the uncomfortable tingly feeling ran all up my arm. As soon as it began to regain some feeling, I slipped out of bed and made my way to the shower.

The hot water felt incredible on my skin as it ran all down my body. Steam soon filled the whole bathroom creating a misty atmosphere. I lathered the shampoo all through my hair and then stuck my head under the water. Closing my eyes, I just stood under the water for a few minutes, letting it go all around me.

Hoping that Syd was still sleeping when I got out, I didn't bother to bring the change of clothes with me in the bathroom. After wrapping a towel around my waist I slowly made my way out of the bathroom. I took a peek at Syd and luckily she was now lying on her back with her eyes still shut.

Creeping over to my bag as quiet as I could, I bent down and took out a pair of boxers, jeans, and a shirt. I nearly jumped in the air when I heard her voice.

"Mmmm. Now that is a good sight to wake up to." I turned around to see Syd smiling at me while her eyes roamed over my half naked body.

"Oh sorry. I forgot to bring clothes with me to the bathroom." I felt my cheeks redden and I quickly ran back into the bathroom to change.

As soon as Syd was freshened up and changed, we packed up our stuff and put it in my car. On the way to checkout I grabbed 2 bagels and cream cheese from the continental breakfast in the lobby.

We were on the road by 11. Syd was sitting quietly in her seat spreading cream cheese all over her bagel. She licked the excess cream cheese off the tips of her fingers and began to munch on her bagel. It was so cute the way she ate her food. She was always so polite and took small bites, never chewing with her mouth open.

Out of nowhere, just as she polished off the last piece, she socked me in the shoulder screaming, "Slug Bug!"

I winced a little, as the power of her punch would sure leave a mark on my arm.

"What the hell was that?" I said not being able to rub my shoulder on account that I was driving.

"Slug bug! There was a blue bug that drove by us." I looked to my left out of my window and saw the small Volkswagen 20 ft. ahead of us.

"Dude, we haven't played that since we were in middle school."

"Dude, I know." She said in a mocking tone.

10 minutes later she slugged me again.

"Out of state!" She yelled and hit me in the exact same spot as before.

"Oh my god Syd. You're gonna leave a permanent mark on my arm!"

"What? There's a Missouri license plate." She once again pointed, this time to the right lane where a white Nissan pathfinder was driving next to us.

"Ok, ok. Enough hitting games for now. Let's play another one and give my arm time to recover."

"I'm sorry Vaughn." She apologized and brought her hand up to rub my shoulder. "So what game do you want to play?"

"I dunno. Whatever." I really didn't care what we played. As long as it didn't involve yelling out slug bug and socking me in my already bruised up arm, I was cool.

"I don't know any other car games though."

"Make up one." I responded.

She leaned back in her seat for a few minutes and I could tell she was thinking hard. My hand sat on her armrest as her hand was fiddling with the sleeve of my sweatshirt.

"Vaughn, who's the first girl you ever liked?" I was a bit taken back by her question.

"What game is this again?"

"It's the shut up and answer my question game." I laughed. I love it when she's pushy.

"Why do you get to ask all the questions?"

"Because you get to ask me one after you answer." It was a fair a deal. Although, there wasn't much that I already didn't know about her.

"You." I responded.

"What?"

"You. It's always been you Syd. I thought you knew that by now." She didn't say anything, instead she leaned over the armrest and planted a kiss on my cheek. "Ok my turn. I can't ask you the same question because I know your answer is going to be Danny." She nodded her head slowly. "What do you think would've happened if Danny didn't move away?"

It was definitely something I wondered about. Since we were playing this game I figured this would be a good time to ask.

"I dunno. I really don't think I'd still be with him right now. But maybe I would've dated him for a few more months. He was a good guy. But my relationship with you is so much more different than what I had with him."

"Yeah? How so?" I asked curiously.

"With you, I always feel the need to be with you. I want to be with you all the time and when I'm not, I feel weirded out. When I was with Danny, I always needed my space. I needed time with my girlfriends and I didn't want to be with him on some days. But when I'm with you, I don't ever want to leave your side."

**Syd's POV**

I don't know what provoked me to say that to Vaughn, but it was true. I was hoping I didn't freak him out by saying what I said, but to my relief he said he felt the same way. I know that in the future we're going to have fights and not always agree on everything, but for now, I'm enjoying every minute spent with him.

We continued to play our little game for the majority of the ride. We talked about everything from the infamous if you were stranded on an island question, to which celebrity would you give your left arm to meet.

Vaughn apologized numerous amounts of times when we were passing by Santa Barbara. But, both of us knew it would be impossible to stop there for a little bit and make it home at a decent hour.

After a long trip that took more time than we expected, we finally made it home. On the way to my house, we passed by our old high school and the baseball field. Vaughn glanced at it and then smiled. I'm sure he was thinking back on all the blood, sweat, and tears he left on that field.

I'll never forget the day I saw his nose break on that field. During our sophomore year, I just made it to the game. I wasn't even seated yet when Vaughn took a ball to the face on the pitcher's mound. Of course, being the guy that he is, he took his jersey and started holding it to his nose trying to make the blood stop and walked straight off of the field. Not one tear was shed or even a look of concern on his face.

But, that was Vaughn. He is the strongest, most composed person I know. When I walked in to the emergency room 30 minutes later and saw his nose, I remember cringing and going, "Ewww." His nose was tilted to the left and bruises were already appearing under his eyes.

I shook my head of the memory as we pulled into my driveway. Butterflies were going all through my stomach as I anticipated seeing my Dad. I haven't seen him since January and I wanted to get out the small tidbit of Vaughn and I now dating out of the way.

"You ready?" Vaughn said before I stuck my key in the door.

"No." I turned the key and unlocked it. Before entering, I looked at him once again.

"Well, if I never see you again, it's been fun." He said giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Shut up."

When we walked into the house, it was quiet. Vaughn placed my suitcase by the staircase while I looked around. It looked exactly the same from when I was a little kid. The white carpet was still fresh with no stains. All of the furniture has never been moved and the picture frames were hanging perfectly on the walls. This place was way too big for my dad to be living here by himself. Aside from my room, there were 2 extra rooms that were unused. But, I know he wouldn't have the heart to move anywhere else.

"Dad?" I yelled out a couple of times.

I looked back to see Vaughn still standing by the doorway looking like he was going to pee in his pants. I motioned for him to come with me. Suddenly, my dad appeared from the kitchen, holding a pen in one hand and the checkbook in the other.

"Sydney!" We walked towards each other and I have him a big hug and a kiss. "I'm so glad you're home."

"Me too Dad. How have you been?"

"Good. It's been quiet since you left, but I'm doing fine." He then looked up and saw Vaughn standing by the stairs.

"Oh, hello Michael." Vaughn walked over and shook his hand firmly.

"Hi Jack. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see both of you home safely. I'm sure your mother is thrilled that you are home." I could tell Vaughn was a bit uneasy as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Yes, I haven't seen her yet, but I'm just as excited to see her."

My dad went back in the kitchen as we followed. I could tell he was paying a few bills as several envelopes were spread out on the kitchen table. I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, silently asking Vaughn if he wanted one.

I didn't know how I was going to bring up the conversation that Vaughn was now my boyfriend, so I just decided to spit it out. My dad was a smart man after all. If we didn't tell him right away he would've either figured it out on his own, or read the look on both of our faces. After taking a swig, I put the bottle of water back in the fridge and went to stand by Vaughn. Before speaking, I took his hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Dad, I have something to tell you."

"What is...?" He glanced up from the checkbook and his eyes immediately fell on our entwined hands.

"Vaughn and I are dating now. He's my boyfriend."

I said it. Just like that. No beating around the bush, I straight up told him the truth. I let out a nervous laugh, anticipating what my dad was going to do next.

"And how long has this been going on?" He continued to sit in the chair, but the grip on his pen soon got tighter.

"Umm, about a week."

"Oh." That was his only response for the next minute.

He sat there quietly, bringing his eyes down from our faces to our hands again. Vaughn shifted uncomfortably on his feet and I could feel his hand getting sweaty.

"Listen dad, I know you feel uncomfortable whenever I date guys. But, you know Vaughn and how great of a guy he is." I let go of Vaughn's hand and walked towards the kitchen table.

My dad still refused to say anything. Instead, he started intently at the both of us not looking like he was going to speak anytime soon. Just then Vaughn walked forward to stand by me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Jack, before you say anything to me, I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to take care of Sydney. She means everything to me and I promise I won't screw this up."

"If you two will excuse me, I need to go make an important call in my office." And with that, my dad got up and left without even acknowledging anything we said to him.

I let out a deep breath as I felt Vaughn doing the same. I knew my dad wouldn't be pleased with the news, but I didn't expect him to just walk out without saying anything about it. It surprised me even more considering he has always seemed to like Vaughn. Since he doesn't show that much emotion anyway, I wouldn't put it in the words that he like Vaughn. Let's just say I thought he approves of him. Maybe I've been wrong all this time.

"Well that went well." Vaughn said letting out a sarcastic laugh.

"Don't worry about it. You know my dad, he'll come around."

**Vaughn's POV **

"Alright, I need to go home and see my mom. What are you doing later?" I said while Syd turned towards me and wrapped both her arms around my waist.

"I don't know. I want to spend some time with my dad though and have dinner with him. Maybe I can calm him down a little bit. Call me later?"

"Of course."

We walked out of her house hand in hand after Sydney insisted on walking me to my car. Before getting in, I planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I'll call you later, Syd."

"Yeah, I'll see you later."

When I arrived at my house, I felt anxious to see my mother. I missed her so much when I'm in San Francisco. I love being in the city and living on my own, but there's times where I want a home cooked meal or just the comfort of my mom being around. After my dad died, we were all each other had left. We relied on each other to survive and get through the hard times.

As soon as I opened up the door and set my bag down my mom came running from upstairs. A big smile appeared on her face as she opened up her arms to hug me.

"Michael! I am so happy you're here!" She kissed my face about three times before giving me another tight hug.

"I missed you too mom. Where's Donny?"

Just then, my fat little bulldog came barreling down the stairs with his short, stubby tail wagging in the air.

"Donovan! Hey boy! How's my best buddy doing?"

Bending down, I ruffled the hair behind his ears before scratching him on his chest. After a few more kisses from my dog and my mother, I went and took a set on the couch. Sinking into the deep, black leather chairs, it felt incredibly good to rest in my old couch again. My mom came and sat next to me a minute later, bringing a glass of ice tea with her.

"How was your drive home, Michael?"

"It was good. We actually left yesterday, but the weather was so bad we were forced to pull over and stay over night in Fresno." I took a sip of my ice tea and placed it back on the glass coffee table.

"Oh? You and Sydney spent a night in a motel?" I could hear the curiosity, and also the concern in her voice.

"Yes, actually, I have something to tell you. I was going to wait until Syd got here, but I can't wait that long. She and I are going out now." My mom's eyes widened in excitement.

"Going out as in a relationship?"

"Yes, she's my girlfriend." It felt so good to call Sydney my girlfriend. I wanted to scream it to everyone.

"Oh sweetie! That is wonderful news!" My mom pulled me in again for another hug. "I knew it. When I was walking down the stairs you actually looked different. Something was different in your face. I could tell you were happy. Ever since you two were kids I could see it in both of you. Sydney is a lovely girl Michael, I am very happy for you." It was really sweet to see my mom that genuinely happy for the both of us. I knew she would be.

"Thanks mom. We just told Jack when I dropped her off at her house."

"And how did that go?"

"Even though he didn't say anything, by the looks of it, he didn't looked too pleased." She patted me on the leg before inviting Donovan to jump on the couch.

"He'll change his mind, sweetie. Don't you worry about it. You and Sydney make a darling couple."

"I hope so. I'm not going to screw this up, Mom."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	13. Chapter 13

Good morning guys. Just updating this fic because it's Wednesday and Wednesdays rock! Alias and Lost on tonight:) I love it... Have a good day!

Chapter 13.

**Syd's POV**

After Vaughn left my house, I went upstairs and unpacked in my room. I loved being back in my old room again. It was always the safest place in the world for me. My room is a fairly big room with white colored carpet and pale pink curtains. My queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room facing the 18-inch TV facing directly across. My now bare desk sat under my window as the black painted, wooden chair was now starting to chip. My closet was on the right side of my room and began looking quite scarce since only a few old jeans and sweaters hung in there. My room looked pretty empty but it still had the necessities.

Unpacking the clothes from my suitcase, I hung them neatly in my closet. After getting comfortable and settling in, I took the liberty of ordering Chinese food for my dad and I. Hoping that we could talk over dinner and get all this settled.

My dad tried to avoid the subject as long as he could by asking me an immense amount of useless questions. We talked about school, the city, Francie, and of course, how my grades were. I knew he was stalling and I wanted to know why he is so disapproving of Vaughn and I.

"Dad, why did you walk out on Vaughn and me earlier? Why are you so uncomfortable with the fact that he's my boyfriend now?" Spooning some more chowmein in my mouth, I awaited his answer.

"Sydney, I do not want to discuss this with you right now."

"No, we're going to discuss this. Now tell me, what is your problem with Vaughn?" He put down his fork and looked straight at me.

"The problem is Sydney, that I'm not quite sure I am comfortable enough knowing that my daughter and Michael Vaughn are alone in San Francisco apparently 'dating' while he's probably just looking to get into bed with someone."

The heat in my body started to rise as I clenched my teeth. Throwing down the napkin that was sitting on my lap, I restrained myself from actually lunging across the table and hitting my dad.

"How can you say something like that? Do you now know Vaughn at all? Do you not know me at all? As if it is any of your business in the first place, he nor I are looking for someone to get into bed with. I can't believe you dad."

"What can I say Sydney? Guys your age are just looking for sex."

That was his answer? Guys were just in it for the sex? Is that what he things of me? I'm just willing to hop into bed with any random guy?

"Vaughn is not like any other guy and you know that. What do you think I'm some sort of slut that sleeps around?"

"No that is not what I am saying!" His voice grew louder as did mine.

"Then what are you saying? I don't understand!"

"I'm saying that Michael Vaughn is not good enough for you, Sydney!" I actually let out a laugh when he said that. Who was he to decide whether or not a guy was good enough for me?

"Who are you to judge that Dad? What gives you the right to say whether or not Vaughn is good enough for me? You weren't even there for me growing up! It's not like you have been much of a father to me anyways. You know what? I don't even know why I'm getting upset over this? Out of all people, I should care less what you think."

I pushed myself away from the kitchen table and walked straight up to my room. I was absolutely livid. Was he just saying those things to make me angry? How could he actually mean those words? It was true what I said. My father has never been around for me in the past. Why should I care what he thinks? It is my life after all.

Walking over to the windowsill, I sat down on the ledge and hugged my old white polar bear. I brought my knees up to my body and continued to grip tightly to my stuffed animal. His name was Snow Bear and when I was little, I brought him everywhere with me. There was never a time when Snow Bear wasn't by my side. My mom even had to buy me two for them so when one of them was being washed, I would still have the other one. Hoping that be would bring me comfort, I closed my eyes as tears slid down my face.

I sat there thinking to myself about why my dad was like the way he was. It's like after my mom died, a part of him died with her. He became emotionless and stiff. He hardly called me sweetheart or even wanted to spend a lot of time with me. My Nanny basically raised me when I came to think about it. My dad got so involved with his work that I barely saw him. And when I did see him, he still seemed cold towards me.

I felt so guilty when leaving for college knowing that my dad would still be at home by himself. In some way I was hoping that he would realize that he missed me and he would turn around. Part of me hoped that we would grow closer if I moved away. But, nothing really changed. I still got those weekly phone calls from him, but I think he only did that because it was routine. He never said I miss you or sent me any letters or packages through the mail.

My whole life, all I've wanted was just for my dad to love me and be there for me like a parent was supposed to be. Instead, we have the most distant relationship anyone could have and I really hoped that someday that would change. But, I was far too angry with him to even want to speak to him.

I don't know how long I spent sitting at the windowsill, but after awhile I went over to my bed and curled up under the covers. I stared blankly at the TV not really knowing what to do. I didn't really feel like talking to anyone. I didn't even want to talk to Vaughn. But, knowing that he would be calling me and worrying why I wasn't picking up my phone, I decided to text message him.

_Hey Vaughn. I didn't want to worry you, but I got in a fight with my dad. It was a bad one. Now I'm not feeling up to anything. –S_

**Vaughn's POV**

Of course, being home meant a lot of things. It meant I got to spend time with my mom, play with Donovan, sleep in my old bed, but the best thing about being home is being spoiled. Yep, whenever I come home my mom doesn't hesitate to spoil me rotten.

She'll cook me whatever I want, whenever I want it. In the morning I wake up to the smell of banana pancakes or blueberry muffins. For dinner she'll cook me pasta, fish, steak, whatever I'm feeling up to.

Tonight, she decided to make me chicken parmesan and spaghetti. It was so nice to have a warm, home cooked meal. It's not like I don't enjoy my boxed pastas, frozen burritos, or Weiss' famous grilled cheese sandwiches, but sometimes it feels so good to have someone cook a tasty meal for you.

After a very quiet dinner with my mom, I flopped down on the couch with Donny jumping up on to my lap. Immediately, he made himself comfortable and laid his head down on my knee. Scratching the spot behind his ears, I flipped on the TV just in time to catch a couple of Friends re-runs.

Just then, my cell phone beeped alerting me that I had a new text message. Odd, I thought. The only time I get messages is when Syd sends me some during class. I flipped open my cell phone to see who it was from.

_Hey Vaughn. I didn't want to worry you, but I got in a fight with my dad. It was a bad one. Now I'm not feeling up to anything. –S_

Quickly, I pressed the reply button and sent a message back to her.

_You could call me you know. What's up w/ the texts? I heard that some people are even getting tendonitis because they text message too much. –V_

Minutes later, my phone beeped once again.

_Very funny, you know you love my random messages during class. I'd call, but I don't feel like talking._

_I assume this fight was because of me?_

_No, it's because of us Vaughn. But, I'm tired of trying to please my dad. If he has a problem with us, he'll have to deal with it. _

I was glad to hear that Syd was standing up to Jack. And, I was also happy that she was fighting for us. To know that she wants this to work out is something that means a lot to me.

We continued to text message each other back and forth. And while both of us would've saved a lot of time if we just called each other, I had to admit that text messaging was a lot of fun. I really wanted to be there for her and comfort her because I knew she was upset. But, she refused my offer of going to see her because she said she wanted to be alone. And, it's not like I wanted to face Jack anytime soon. There was no doubt that I was completely terrified of him.

The next morning, I went for a run on the track and then took Donovan for a walk around the neighborhood. His short tail went crazy when I asked him if he wanted to go and he started to jump up and down. I'm sure he was even more thrilled that I was the one taking him for a walk. It was something I haven't done in awhile.

Walking down the familiar streets, I took in the small neighborhood and how much I missed it. It was so quiet, but it was a peaceful quietness. Up in San Francisco, I'm used to waking up to busy streets, the loud honking of horns, and noisy bus engines. I've actually grown accustomed to all of the ruckus, but it was nice to be away from it.

I was relieved when Syd finally came by late in the afternoon. As soon as I opened up the door, I pulled her into a tight hug. Kissing the top of her head, I held her for a couple of minutes.

I heard my mom shuffling behind me and both Syd and I let go.

"Oh Sydney! It is so wonderful to see you again! Come here, sweetheart." Sydney and my mom embraced for a minute as they both looked so happy to see each other.

"It's nice to see you too Amélie. I miss your wonderful cooking when I'm away."

"So I hear that you and my son have finally started dating." Syd looked back at me as I began to blush. I felt slightly embarrassed for telling my mom without Syd.

"Oh, so Vaughn as told you already?"

"Yes, and I am so happy for you two! I've always told Michael that you would make such a lovely girl for him."

"Mom.." Vaughn whined from behind us.

"Ok, I will stop embarrassing you. I'm going to run to the store real quick to pick up a few things for dinner. Does salmon sound good?"

Both Syd and I nodded in unison. Picking up her keys, my mom said a quick goodbye and left the two of us standing there. I grabbed Syd's hand and lead her over to the couch, wanting to see if she was doing any better.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, still grasping her hand in mine.

"A little better. I slept well. By the time I woke up, my dad already left for work so I didn't have to face him."

"What did he say that made you so upset?"

"Basically that he didn't like that we were together and that you were probably just looking for someone to get into bed with." I shook my head in disgust.

"How could he say something like that to you? He's known me for years. Plus, he knows you would never do something like that." I rubbed my hand over my face and then through my hair. I really didn't think Jack would be so disproving of me.

"That's what I told him. I don't know, Vaughn. I actually don't feel like talking about this right now. I'm emotionally drained and I don't feel like replaying the conversation in my mind."

"It's ok Syd. We don't have to talk if you don't feel like it."

**Syd's POV**

We stayed silent for the next couple of minutes, both relishing in our thoughts and staring in to space. Even though I didn't want to talk, it was comforting to have Vaughn with me.

He thought it would lighten the mood if we went down to the basement to play pool. Leading me down the steep stairs, he turned on the light and grabbed two sticks from the wall and handed me one. Vaughn was good at every sport he tried, but he was exceptional in pool. Out of all the times I've challenged him, he not once faltered.

As soon as we know it both of us our laughing, teasing each other, and stealing kisses in between our shots. It was no surprise to me that he won by a large region, knocking the final ball into the pocket.

It was definitely fun watching Vaughn play pool. When he bent down, his green eyes started so intently at the ball that I thought his stare would burn a hole through it. But that was him, always so focused.

We played a few more games of pool until Amélie called us up for dinner. Walking into the kitchen, the delicious smell of the food enveloped us and my stomach growled in anticipation. I took a seat next to Vaughn as Amélie put down the platters of food before us.

"Oh, Amélie, this looks amazing. Thank you so much for inviting me over." I took a piece of the boneless salmon, and then a big scoop of the linguini placing it on my plate, not wasting anytime digging it.

After two servings of linguini and salmon, I slumped in my chair as my stomach felt like it was going to burst. Under the table, Vaughn's hand was on my leg as Amélie continued to tell us the story of the first time Vaughn ever spoke.

"I was sitting in the recliner and Bill was over on the couch with Michael. He must've been around 1 and a half. Bill was constantly trying to make Michael speak, hoping that his first words, of course, would be Daddy. He would sit there with him saying, 'Michael, say Daddy. Daddy.' Neither of us were surprised when he suddenly said, 'goal.' After all of Bill's hard work, the first word out of his mouth had to involve hockey, right? There's nothing his father loved more than hockey and it lit Billy's eyes up to see it was having an effect on his son."

Both Vaughn and his mother sat there smiling broadly. You would think that bringing up Bill Vaughn would make them both feel sad. But, it was not the case as they spoke so proud of him. You could see a little sadness in Amélie's eyes, but she had so much pride talking about Vaughn's dad.

Excusing us from the table, we said a thank you to Amélie for the dinner and then made our way up the stairs to Vaughn's room. So many memories were shared in his room and as soon as we entered I could feel the warmness in my body.

We laid down on his bed, both unable to move from being so full. Our bodies were perpendicular from each other as I rested my head on his stomach.

"Vaughn?"

"How come you never call me Michael?" He questioned as he ran his hands through my hair.

"I dunno, you've just always been Vaughn to me."

I've been calling him by his surname all my life. When I first met him in grade school, the first day of school he was wearing his hockey jersey and on the back of it, it said, Vaughn #11. Thinking that was his name, I never once called him Michael.

"Do you think it's weird, now that you're my girlfriend, that you call me by my last name?" I never really thought about it. Suddenly calling him Michael wouldn't feel right.

"No. I thought you like it."

"I do. I was just wondering."

A comfortable silence once again surrounded us. I suddenly sat up and turned so I could face Vaughn.

"You think I could stay with you tonight? I don't want to go home." His eyes lit up and he placed a soft kiss on my lips.

"Of course you could. Let me get you some clothes."

Getting up off the bed, he went in his drawer and pulled out a t-shirt and pair of shorts.

"Will these do?" Holding up the clothes to show me, I nodded my head in agreement.

The oversized shirt and shorts felt comfortable and I could smell Vaughn's scent on the rim of the t-shirt. I brought it up to my nose and inhaled deeply. A mixture of cologne and his natural scent filled my nose as it was intoxicating.

Before coming out of the bathroom in my new attire, I contemplated about calling my dad and letting him know I wasn't coming home. But, I knew it would only infuriate him more and I wasn't on speaking terms with him anyways.

Truth was, I needed to be away from my dad anyways. He needs time to realize that I'm not a child anymore. I'm going to make my own decisions and he will have to be accepting of them. I vowed to myself that nothing would get in the way of Vaughn and mine's relationship. If my dad was going to be the one standing in the way, then I had to be the one to prove him wrong.

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	14. Chapter 14

_Hey guys... thanks again for all the reviews. I love you all and you're the best. :)_

Chapter 14.

**Syd's POV**

The smell of waffles creeping through the bottom of the door is what awoke Vaughn and I from our deep slumber. Thinking that Amelié would be slightly uncomfortable with me spending the night, I was hesitant to walk downstairs. But, after I made my way into the kitchen she smiled widely and told me to eat up.

The waffles were delicious. With the fresh strawberries on top, I ended up downing four waffles. Vaughn began to joke with me saying I ate more than he did. It was so nice waking up to an amazing breakfast. Vaughn is spoiled to death and it was nice to get a little taste of what it was like to have such a great cook in the house.

Once I was able to pry myself away from the kitchen table, I said a quick thank you to Vaughn's mom and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. I needed to go home, clean up, and take a shower. While the thought of having to go home and seeing my dad wasn't pleasant, I couldn't avoid him forever.

As soon as I walked into the house my dad wasted no time in yelling at me.

"Sydney Bristow, where the hell were you last night?" His voice was raised and his eyes were narrow. While my dad usually showed no emotion, those were two things that showed he was really pissed off.

"I spent the night at Vaughn's." I said nonchalantly.

"You spent the night at Michael's house? You didn't even bother to call me to tell me where you were or answer your cell phone. I was worried sick about you!" Shrugging my shoulders, I let out a sigh.

"Wow, that's a change, you actually caring or worrying about me." I could see the red in my dad's face grow even brighter as I was saying all the right things to make him even angrier.

"Don't you ever say that Sydney. You know how much I care about you."

"Do you Dad? Cause you don't show it. How am I supposed to know?"

I walked past him and attempted to make my way up the stairs. I didn't feel like hearing what he had to say. Before I could get anywhere, he grabbed my elbow.

"Don't you walk away from me!" Pulling me back, he stood in front of me so I could face him.

"You should know the feeling. You've done it to me my whole life."

I knew that one was a low blow, but my dad needed to know how I felt. I've let him walk away from me in the past and I let him do it. I put a fake smile on my face and acted like everything was ok.

We stood there glaring at each other in silence. It took a minute for my dad to figure out what to say to me.

"If you're going to act like this, then I forbid you to see Michael." He's going to forbid me to see Michael? I let out a sarcastic laugh before speaking.

"In case you haven't noticed, I am 19 years old now. I don't even live here anymore. You can't tell me I can't see Vaughn."

"Yes I can, I am your father!" I pushed past him once again. This time, before going up the stairs I turned back.

"You were never my father."

With that, I went up to my room and slammed the door. Falling back against the door, I slid down to the floor and began to sob. All these years of pent up emotion and anger towards my father were coming out of me. I never had the guts to say to him how I really felt until today.

And while I it felt so good to let everything out, I cried tears of sadness. Because everything I said about my dad was true and I knew it was going to hurt him. I don't want my dad to feel any pain or any guilt for how I grew up. I just want him to realize his mistakes and to begin to act like a real father should.

**Vaughn's POV**

After Syd left, I helped my mom clean up the kitchen and put the extra waffles in the refrigerator. I know those will come in handy at 3am in the morning when I wake up for a snack.

Making sure I fed Donovan and gave him some water, I hopped into my car and started to drive. Picking up a bouquet of flowers from the local flower shop, I made my way to Cypress Hill Cemetery.

As soon as I walked up to my father's grave, I could feel my throat already tighten. The last time I visited him was in November before Thanksgiving. And while every year it gets a little easier to talk about him and hold back the tears as I think of a memory we shared, it's always hard to come here and see his headstone.

_William C. Vaughn_

_1954-1993_

_A loving father and devoted husband_

Gently putting down the bouquet of roses, I bent down and began to trace the letters of my last name. My fingers rubbed over the cool stone as I still remember the day my father was taken from me. He was an agent in the CIA and when I was a kid, I idolized everything he did.

Over the years, I learned that my dad was shot in the chest three times on a mission in Russia. Of course, my mother didn't tell me that when I was 8 years old. But, eventually she told me when I was older.

Even after my dad died, I was determined to follow in his footsteps. I wanted to be just like him and become a CIA agent. It was set in my mind all the way until high school when my mother expressed to me how much she didn't want me to take that route. She told me she already lost my father, and if she lost me too, she wouldn't be able to survive.

Never wanting to disappoint my mom or make her unhappy, I changed my mind on wanting to be in the CIA. The thought still crosses my mind once in awhile, but now that I'm pursuing a career as a lawyer, I know my mom's happiness comes first.

Still crouching down, I began to speak to my father.

"Hey dad… I know it's been awhile since I've come to see you, but this is the first time I've been back home since Christmas break. I'm on my second semester of college now and I'm doing pretty ok. Right now, I'm getting my general education classes done so I can start taking Political Science classes. In about a year or so I get to start learning about the interesting stuff.

"Mom seems to be doing good. I feel bad that she has to stay here by herself all the time, but at least she has Donovan to keep her company. She misses you. I miss you. Just the other day I was thinking back on all those old winter days when you would take me to the ice rink and play hockey with me. I can't wait till hockey season starts up again. I think the Kings have a real shot this year. What do you think dad?

"I love living in the city and Weiss makes a great roommate. He's a little messy at times, but he's become one of my best friends. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's got a heart of gold and can make me laugh like no other. The city is absolutely beautiful. The new baseball park is amazing and in the Fall I'm going to drive to San Jose to catch a few Sharks games. It's not going to be as fun as Kings games, but you can't pass up an opportunity to watch hockey, right?

"Of course Syd is up there in San Francisco with me too. It's been great having her there with me and going through all the scares of being away from home and at college. So… she's my girlfriend now. I know we never got to have the father, son talk about dating girls since I was too young. But, mom's taught me everything I need to know.

"Sydney is amazing, dad. She makes me so incredibly happy and every minute I'm around her I fall for her even more. I didn't even think that was possible, but it is. She's smart, beautiful, and a bit stubborn at times, but so caring and loving of others. She makes me want to be a better person. If you were here, you would absolutely love her."

To an innocent bystander, it would look like I was talking to the ground. But, I knew my dad could hear me. After all these years, even though he's been gone a long time, I could always feel that my dad is with me. He's always looking out for my mom and I. And, even though there's not a day that goes by where I don't think about him, I know I'll see him again one day.

I patted the headstone one more time before getting up.

"I love you dad, I'll see you soon."

**Syd's POV**

After walking into the bathroom, I took a look at myself in the mirror. I looked awful. My eyes were all puffy and red from the crying and my hair looked a mess. The spot under my nose was red from the constant rubbing from the Kleenex.

Stripping off my clothes, I turned on the shower and just stood under the water. Placing two hands up on the wall, I put my head down and let the water hit the back of my neck. I stood there for several minutes trying to relax and compose myself.

The shower eased a little tension from me. But, I still felt stressed. Throwing on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, I pulled my wet hair into a messy ponytail. I decided that I wanted to go walk on the beach, hoping that would make me feel better.

My dad was nowhere to be found as I made my way down the stairs. Grabbing the keys from the kitchen counter, I made my way out to the black Mercedes sitting in front of the house. It was my dad's extra car that he never used and never let me drive in high school. Since my car was still up in San Francisco, I didn't have a choice and had to take the Benz.

As soon as I hit the rode, my foot was heavy on the gas. I knew it wasn't safe, but I couldn't help it. All of the stress and anger in my body needed a release and driving fast made me feel better.

There was only one person in this world that could make me feel the way I was feeling, and that was my dad. We had the usual fights that a father and a daughter have, but I knew that this one would need a lot of repairing. I somehow couldn't find the heart to forgive my dad for saying what he said.

It's like he was deliberately trying to hurt me with his words. He knows Vaughn and he knows that Vaughn is a great guy. He knows that he's a guy that would never hurt me or disrespect me. When I decided to tell my dad about Vaughn and I, I thought that this time it would be different. I thought that this time he would actually be approving of my relationship with a guy.

I couldn't have been more wrong. And why I was expecting for my dad to have changed, to know that I have matured and am able to make my own decisions, I don't know why I got my hopes up. It was appropriate that I felt let down. It was a feeling all too familiar for me.

I was too caught up in my thoughts that I wasn't even concentrating on driving. Still pressing on the gas harder than usual, I started to pass the park. When I looked out my window, I saw a father trying to teach his daughter to ride a bike. A smile actually appeared on my face as the little girl kept telling her father not to let go.

She was riding a pink bike with an array of different color streamers hanging from the handlebars. A pink Barbie helmet was sitting slightly tilted on her head as her father stood 10 ft. away from her, encouraging her to keep pedaling. It was a sweet sight and unfortunately something I never experienced.

By the time I turned around, I hadn't even noticed I accidentally ran a stop sign. Panicking as every part of my body froze, the only thing I could see was a semi truck coming straight for the passenger's side of my car.

**Vaughn's POV**

I felt so much better after visiting my dad's grave. Every time I went there and talked to him, I felt like someone was taking the weight off of my shoulders. I always seemed to get choked up and silent tears would run down my face, but it was important to me that I still talked to my dad and let him know what was going on in my life.

Even though I know he's probably watching over me, I always make sure to tell him that mom and I are doing ok. I know that if there's one thing my dad would worry about, it would be the welfare of mom and I.

After getting in my car, I grabbed the cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Syd's number. I wanted to see what she was up to and if her dad yelled at her for not coming home last night.

I got about five rings and then her voicemail. Weird, I thought. Syd always picks up when I call. Maybe she didn't hear it or she went somewhere and didn't have her cell phone on her. Dialing up her number again, I decided that this time I'd leave a voicemail.

"Hey Syd, it's me. Just wanted to know what you were up to. Give me a call when you get a chance. Talk to you later."

Closing my cell phone and putting it back into my pocket, I started my car and made my way back to my house. When I got there, Donovan was on the porch lying down with his head on his paws. I smiled at the sight of my lazy bulldog. He just happened to find the spot directly were the sun was hitting.

Walking up the stairs, I kneeled down to pet him a bit. He rolled onto his back and stuck his paws up in the air, a sign that he wanted me to scratch his tummy. Lightly scratching my fingertips up and down his stomach, I patted him twice, and then made my way through the door.

When I walked in, my mom was sitting on the couch with a serious look on her face. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. My mom always had a smile on her face and whenever it wasn't there, something was definitely up.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Walking over to where she sat, I looked down to see tears in her eyes.

"Michael… sit down." She grabbed both my hands as I placed myself on the leather couch.

"Jack just called… and… Sydney was in a car accident."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	15. Chapter 15

_Ok, you can thank soccerfreeek324 for me updating tonight causeI want them to update their fic too:) I had to throw a little drama in right? I had to keep you guys coming back for more... Enjoy the chap and please review, review, review!_

Chapter 15.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Jack just called… and… Sydney was in a car accident."

Those words made my stomach drop to the floor. I couldn't speak, and I could hardly hear as the pounding of my heart grew louder in my ears every second. I couldn't even see clearly as the tears sprung to my eyes and rolled down my face.

"Is she ok? Where is she? What hospital?" I jumped up from the couch and ran to grab my car keys before my mom could even say anything.

"Michael, she's at Seton Medical Center." My mom got up to rush after me as I searched frantically for my wallet.

"I need to see her, she needs me mom."

"I'll drive you. You can't drive in these conditions."

The car ride was silent the whole way to the hospital. I sunk low into my seat and put the hood of my sweatshirt over my head. The tears continued to fall as I used the sleeves of my sweatshirt to wipe my face.

My mom didn't even say if it was bad or not, but I could feel that something was wrong with Syd. As soon as my mom told me she got in an accident and I saw that look on her face, I felt that same feeling I had when she told me that my father wasn't coming home.

I didn't even let my mom park yet before I jumped out of the car. Running into the entrance, I must've scared the poor receptionist when I screamed for Sydney Bristow's room. She saw the urgency in my eyes and quietly said, "She's in room 412."

I took the elevator up to the 4th floor and did my best to compose myself. Wiping my eyes once again, I spotted Jack sitting in a chair halfway down the hall as soon as the elevator doors opened. I practically ran to him and when I got there, I broke down once again.

"How… how is she?" I choked out.

"Michael, her car was hit by a semi truck over on Grant Street. Luckily, the truck hit her passenger's side, but it still did a lot of damage. There was a lot of internal bleeding that the doctor's were able to stop, but she's lost a lot of blood." Jack put both his hands on my shoulders, holding me up before I collapsed. "There's also bruising around her back, near her spinal chord."

"Is she going to be ok?" Fear struck though me as the thought of Syd's life being taken stabbed me in the heart.

"They don't know, Michael. She's heavily medicated right now and won't be able to wake up until tomorrow. The doctor's said that she is a very healthy girl and if she makes it through tonight, she should be ok."

Sobs racked my body as I tried my best not to fall down. I felt my mother come up behind me and push me towards a chair to sit. When I looked up at her, she also had tears in her eyes. She took the pads of her thumbs and wiped the tears from my face.

"Michael look at me." I looked up to see Jack staring intently into my eyes.

"Sydney needs you right now. Be strong, Michael. Those tears aren't going to make my daughter any better."

Nodding, I pushed myself off the chair and took a deep breath. I walked across the hall and pushed open the door.

Sydney lay on her back with her eyes closed. Her skin looked unusually pale as oxygen was being pumped into her nose and an IV was stuck in her hand. The loud beeping of the heart monitor filled the room and the only light coming in was from the slight crack in the door.

Closing the door completely, I stood there for a couple of minutes taking in the sight of Sydney lying there helpless. She still looked so stunningly beautiful. Even with the two cuts over her left eyebrow and the bruise on her chin, she still looked like an angel.

Walking over to her bedside, I pulled up a chair on the right side of the bed and took her hand in mine. I brought her hand up to my mouth and kissed the spot above her knuckles. Opening her hand and placing it on my cheek, I could feel how cold her hand was.

I couldn't resist the urge to touch her face. Keeping her right hand in mine, I took my other hand and started brushing unruly strands of hair from her face.

"Syd, I don't know if you can hear me. Actually, that's a dumb thing to say cause you're sleeping so you can't hear me. But, I feel the need to talk to you anyways. Seeing you right now, lying there so helpless. You know I've always felt the need to protect you, right? Well, it's absolutely… absolutely killing me to know that I can't fight this with you. You don't know how badly I want you to open up those beautiful brown eyes of yours.

"Did I ever tell you about the day I started to have a crush on you? Well, we were in Mrs. Miller's science class in 7th grade. Do you remember that? Anyways, I remember having her first thing in the morning and on this one day, all the girls in your group of friends wanted to wear those cut off pants. What are those called? Capris? Anyways, all of your little friends came piling into the room wearing capris and then you came in wearing gray sweats and a t-shirt. The looks on their faces were priceless when they saw that you didn't choose to follow. And when they ridiculed you for not wanting to be like everyone else, you simply shrugged it off and went, 'Why would you want to be like everyone else when you can be your own person?'

"When you said, that's when I knew you were the greatest girl ever. You stood up to all of your friends and chose to be different. Individuality is something I've always admired and you Sydney Bristow definitely have that."

I let out a long sigh. Why I was confessing all these things to her, I didn't know. I guess somehow I was hoping she would wake up and start laughing at my story. But, I knew she wouldn't awaken until tomorrow.

"Oh Syd, when I walked into the house today and my mom told me you were in an accident, my heart almost stopped beating. Even though I didn't know any details or how bad it was, I could feel that you were in pain. I knew something was wrong immediately. Your dad was actually kind to me out there. I know that's hard to believe, but in a way, he calmed me down. I know you don't think he cares about you, but he does Syd. He's disapproving of you and I because he loves you and wants the best for you. When you wake up, you're going to realize how much you need him and he will realize the same.

"I swear, when you get out of here, I'm never going to let you out of my arms. I'll do whatever you want me to do. I'll drive you anywhere you want to go, take three-hour trips to the mall, let you use my credit card, maybe I'll even go to the store and pick up tampons for you without complaining. Just be ok Syd. Don't leave me here by myself."

Leaning forward in the chair, I bent down to lay my head on top of our conjoined hands. I kept staring up at her, just watching her sleep and praying that she would be ok. Losing my dad was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through in my life. Growing up without a father to look up to was so difficult at times.

I don't know how long I sat there with her, watching her, but it must've been awhile because my mom came in and brought me some food to eat. She brought a turkey sandwich, chips, and water up from the cafeteria. It wasn't the most appetizing meal in the world and considering the fact that I was in no mood to eat, I only took a few bites.

Jack came in a few times to check up on her as well as a few nurses. The nurses would come in every hour and check on her blood pressure and heart monitor. Jack never stayed in the room for more than 20 minutes. Part of me thought he was uncomfortable being in the same room as me, but the other part of me thought that it hurt Jack too much to see Syd in a hospital bed.

He had to go through losing his wife and Syd's mom in a car accident. It must have been really tough for him to get that phone call from the hospital saying that Sydney was in a car accident. What I said to Syd about her dad was true. You could see so much sadness in his eyes when he was telling me what happened to her. And while Jack Bristow is not a man to show emotion, his eyes are what gave him away.

Every time he would walk into the room he would first come over and kiss Sydney's forehead, then ask me if I was ok or needed anything. It was definitely a different side of Jack that I have never experienced. He was actually comforting and kind towards me. He always was kind towards me before he found out I was dating his daughter. The little encounter I had with him when we got home left me thinking he hated me.

Never letting go of Syd's hand, I managed to distract myself by watching TV. A couple episodes of Family Guy and the Simpsons were playing and managed to get out a chuckle from me. It must've been around 10 or 11pm when my mom came back in the room.

"Michael, maybe you want to go home and get some rest. You could take a shower and I'll make you something to eat." She said while coming over to me brushing hair from the top of my forehead.

"No mom. I want to stay with Sydney in case she wakes up."

My mom didn't argue with me at all. She knew I wasn't going to budge so she didn't push me. Instead, she said she was going home to pick me up some clothes and something to eat from Taco Bell. She knew that was the only thing I wouldn't refuse to eat.

Getting up quickly from the chair, I pulled my mom into a tight hug. I was so grateful for having her around and being so considerate. I was convinced that she was the best mom anyone could ever have.

While my mom was gone, Syd's doctor came in to check up on her. He was a tall, middle-aged man, with hardly any hair, and a well-groomed beard.

"Hi, how you doing? My name is Dr. Burke. And you are?" He came over to where I was sitting and gave me a firm handshake.

"Michael Vaughn. I'm Sydney's boyfriend."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Mr. Vaughn. I believe her father just went down to the cafeteria to grab something to eat. I'm just going to take a look at her vitals to see how she's doing."

Dr. Burke first took her blood pressure, and then checked her heart beat with his stethoscope. After writing down a few things on his clipboard, he made sure the pillows behind her supported her back and checked the cuts on her head and arms.

"They sure stitched these up nicely. It is amazing she didn't have any broken bones. She is still heavily sedated and will most likely not wake up until tomorrow, tomorrow morning at the earliest. The good news is that her vitals are getting stronger every time a nurse comes in to check on her. That is an extremely good sign and leads me to believe that she will be just fine. As you can see, the color in her cheeks are starting to appear again."

Looking a little closer at Syd, I did notice that she didn't look as pale as when I first came in here.

"What about the bruising near her spinal chord? Do you know if that left any damage?" I asked.

"We don't know yet. From the looks of it, she shouldn't have any problem with having feeling in her legs. The bruising didn't look too serious when she was first brought in, but since she is sleeping right now, we can't tell. We were more concerned with the amount of blood lost she suffered. But in all seriousness, she is doing well right now." I let out a sigh of relief. Hearing that news gave me a bit of reassurance.

"Thank you Dr. Burke."

"No problem Mr. Vaughn. It is nice meeting you. I'm going to go talk to her father and tell him the news. The nurses are going to be in and out of here all night. I'll be back around 5am tomorrow morning."

I said a silent thank you to the sky as soon as Dr. Burke left. Knowing that Syd would be ok made me feel so much better. If I ever lost her, I wouldn't know what to do with my life.

My mom came back a little while later with my food from Taco Bell and my backpack, which I assumed, was packed with extra clothes and my toothbrush. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and another thank you. Telling her the good news from the doctor, a 'thank you god' escaped from her lips as she told me she would be back in the morning.

Finishing my midnight dinner, I walked into the bathroom and pulled on the sweats my mom brought me. When I looked in the mirror, the sight of myself was not pretty. My hair was all disheveled and dark circles were starting to appear under my eyes. My eyes were slightly red from crying and I was in bad need for a shave.

When I walked out, I was surprised to see that Jack was sitting in the chair that I previously occupied. He had a pillow and a couple of blankets sitting on his lap.

"You're not going to tell me I need to go home, are you?" I asked him.

"No. Besides, it is not like you would listen to me Michael." Letting out a short laugh, he continued to speak. "I just wanted to thank you for being here for Sydney. I know… I know I treated you unkindly when you two came home and I wanted to apologize for that. From watching you today, I know you love my daughter and will take care of her. All I want to do is see her happy and I know you give her that happiness. So once again, I am sorry for treating you the way I did."

Wait, I wasn't dreaming right? Jack Bristow was apologizing to me? I needed to sit down because I didn't think he was serious.

"I don't know what to say Jack. But, thank you." He gave me a slight nod and then handed me the pillow and blankets.

"I got these from the nurses station. I know you don't have a bed, but hopefully you can get some rest." And with that, he exited the room.

**Syd's POV**

As soon as I opened my eyes I was immediately confused. I couldn't register where I was and my body ached to the point where I couldn't even lift my head. An oxygen tube was blowing cool air into my nose as I noticed a needle poked in my hand.

When I tried to groan, my throat was so dry that no sound came out of my mouth. Still groggy, I tried to remember what the hell happened to me. After a few minutes, it all started coming back to me. I remember being so angry with my dad that I went for a drive. I was driving so fast and losing control, but I didn't care.

My eyes still felt tremendously heavy as the loud beeping of the heart monitor brought me fully out of the haze. My shoulders and lower back is what hurt the most. While it was a dull ache in my shoulders, a sharp pain was hitting me right in the middle of my back.

While trying to regain all the feeling in my body, I suddenly felt my right hand encased in someone else's. Their skin was a little rough, but so warm and comforting. Turning my head to the right as much as I could, a sleeping Michael Vaughn was sitting in the chair next to my bed.

His head was slightly tilted to the left, which I knew would give him a terrible stiff neck in a couple of hours. A blue blanket was draped over his whole body, all the way up to his shoulders as a clean white pillow sat in his lap.

I tried to speak to him, but again, no sound escaped from my mouth. Doing the best I could, I squeezed his hand as hard as I could, hoping that would wake him up. After a few more hand squeezes and a couple of attempts to pick up his hand and shake his arm a little, his beautiful green eyes fluttered open.

It took him quite awhile to realize that I was awake and staring back at him, but when he did, he jumped up from the chair and started placing wet kisses all over my face.

"Syd! You're awake! Omg, Syd, when I found out you were in an accident I nearly died. If something would ever happen to you and I lost you, I don't know… I don't know how I would survive."

He pressed one final kiss on my forehead and stroked my cheek a few times.

"I'm going to get the doctor now, I'll be right back."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

**Syd's POV**

I felt like shit. I wasn't going to lie. And while I had the worse pain in the world all the way from my head down to my toes, it was such a relief knowing that I was going to be ok. When I woke up and saw Vaughn sitting there, sleeping next to my bed, the first thing I could think of was how lucky I am to have him. How many boyfriends would sleep by their girlfriend's hospital bed and hold their hand all night? Not many. But, Vaughn is special and I planned to show him just how special he was once I got out of the hospital.

As soon as the doctor came back with Vaughn, he brought me a big cup of water to drink. After taking a few sips, the moisture in my throat came back and I was able to squeak out a few words. The doctor explained that when I was rushed into the ER, they had to put a tube down my throat to help my breathing. Hence, why my throat was so dry and sore.

My dad came in a few minutes later after the doctor. Guessing from the look on his face, he was unsure how to act towards me. Part of the reason why I was in the accident was because I was so upset about what he said. But, I wouldn't hold that against him. I shouldn't have been driving so recklessly.

I gave him a slight smile to show him that I was ok. Walking over to the other side of the bed, he grabbed a seat and placed himself next to Vaughn. Now that was a weird sight to see. From observing them, I could tell there wasn't any tension between them and when my father walked over near Vaughn, they both gave a slight nod to each other. Something must have happened between them when I was out of it, I thought.

"So Sydney, I'm going to ask you a few questions. You don't have to speak, just nod or shake your head, ok?" I didn't know this doctor, but from the patch on his coat, it read Dr. Burke.

"First off, are you in a lot of pain?" I nodded my head indicating a yes.

"Ok, we'll give you some pain medicine right after I'm done." Lifting the blankets from the end of my bed, he exposed my legs from my shins down. "Can you wiggle your toes for me?"

My legs felt stiff and halfway asleep, but I was able to wiggle the toes on both of my feet.

"Excellent Sydney. You had quite a bit of bruising around your back and we couldn't tell if that would effect your spinal chord at all."

I looked over to my dad and Vaughn to both see them let out a sigh of relief. I gave Vaughn a quick smile as he picked up my hand and brought it to his lips. Shifting in his chair a little, the look on my dad's face told me that he was a little uncomfortable and it was amusing to watch.

"Do you have full recollection of what happened to you?" I nodded once again.

"Are you having any trouble breathing or any pains in your chest?" Shaking my head, I actually squeaked out a 'no.'

"Good, good. I'm just going to check your heart beat ok."

The doctor slightly opened the top of my gown and placed the cold, metal stethoscope over my heart. "Take a deep breath… then exhale… a deep breath again… now exhale." Taking the stethoscope away and covering me back up, he leaned back in his chair.

"Well, Sydney, it looks like you are doing just fine. I'm going to get you on pain medication right away since it looks like you're uncomfortable. Your heart rate is strong and steady, but your breathing is a tad shallow. You probably can't feel it, but it's a bit short. It's not a big concern, it could just be a side effect from the anesthesia or you could simply be coming down with a cold. Other than that, you're doing well. We're going to have to keep you in the hospital for a couple of days to keep an eye on you, but you should be able to go home in no time." Dr. Burke patted me on the shoulder and then got up to exit the room. "I'll be back to check on you before I go home tonight. You should know you have a very loving father and boyfriend over there." Giving me a wink, he walked out the door.

I turned to see a big smile on Vaughn's face. The forehead wrinkles were gone and the concern in his eyes subsided. My father continued to sit there quietly, staring at the actions of Vaughn and I.

"I'm so happy you're going to be ok Syd." Vaughn quickly got up from the chair and handed me the cup of water again. Taking a few sips from the straw, I handed the cup back to Vaughn.

"Listen, I'm going to go home and tell my mom the good news. She was here with you almost the whole day. I'll be right back after I change my clothes and take a shower ok?"

I nodded my head as Vaughn leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my lips. In any other circumstance, I think Michael Vaughn would be scared shitless to do that in front of my dad. But, because of the situation I was in, I don't think Vaughn cared.

As soon as he left the room, my dad got up from the chair and walked towards my bed.

"Dad, before you can say anything, don't blame yourself for this. It was my fault. I was driving too fast and not paying attention. I endangered myself, not to mention I wrecked your Benz."

"Sydney that is not important. But, I am the one to blame for this. I deliberately made you upset and I'm sorry. What you said was true. To tell you the truth, I'm glad you said it to me. For so long I've tried to ignore my mistakes with you." Continuing to walk towards me, he took a seat at the edge of the bed and let in a deep breath.

"When your mother died, part of my heart went with her. I loved your mother so much and when she was taken from us, I couldn't stand it. I had such a hard time raising you because you are a spitting image of her. Every time I looked at you, I saw her. And while watching you grow brought me so much happiness, it also brought me tons of sadness knowing that she wasn't here with me."

Tears streamed down my face. Hearing my father apologize for his actions and realizing how much grief he's gone through almost broke my heart.

"Dad… you don't have to explain, it's ok. I get it." I said in between sobs.

"No Sydney, you need to know. I never once stopped loving you. Ever since you were born I thought you were the most beautiful thing on earth. I just want to let you know that I am so proud of you, for everything. For everything that you have accomplished in your life, you make me so proud. I know I haven't shown it, but that's the way I truly feel. I didn't do a good job of raising you, but you did a tremendous job of raising yourself. You were right. I haven't been the father to you like I should've been in the past. But, if you let me, I'm going to change. I'm going to be the father that you need and want. I promise Sydney. This is the start of a new Jack Bristow."

"Oh Dad…"

I was at a lost for words. All I could do was pull my dad into a tight hug as I cried into his neck. It wasn't tears of sadness. It was more like tears of forgiveness. Because, for the first time in my life, I knew my dad wasn't going to let me down.

"I love you dad."

"I love you too Sydney." He gently pulled out of my embrace as I slowly went to lie back down. Adjusting the pillows a little bit, I finally found a comfortable position.

A few minutes later, a nurse came in with two pills advising me that I need to take these every six hours for the pain. She said they might make me a little groggy and light-headed, but that it will make me rest comfortably.

"So, it looks like you and Vaughn are getting along better." I said after swallowing both pills with a swig of water.

"He is a good guy Sydney. I've always known that. But, my fatherly instincts crept in when you told me you two were dating and I acted inappropriately."

"Yes, you did." I nodded my head in agreement.

"But, after seeing him with you when you were asleep, I realized how much he cares about you. Every time I walked in to check on you, Michael was there at your bedside holding your hand. When he first came running into the hospital, he was hysterical when I told him what happened to you. He loves you Sydney."

A big grin spread across my face as the last sentence played out in my mind. Vaughn loved me.

**Vaughn's POV**

As soon as I walked out of Syd's hospital room, I realized I didn't have a car. Not wanting to bother my mom for a ride, I called a cab on my cell phone.

A vast feeling of relief went throughout my whole body. My shoulders weren't so tense and I wasn't gripping my fists. I needed go home and clean myself up a little. I felt dirty without a morning shower and a shave.

Donny was at the door as soon as I opened it. His short tail was once again wagging and I bent down to plant a kiss on his head.

"Hey buddy. Did you miss me last night? Where's mom?"

Seeing the door to our backyard slightly open, I made my way across the family room guessing that she was out there. When I took a peek outside, I could see my mom watering the flowers across the large patch of grass.

"Hey mom!" I yelled, still standing in the doorway.

"Michael? What are you doing home? Did something happen?" She immediately walked over to me with a look of concern on her face.

"I took a cab home. Syd woke up this morning and she's going to be ok."

"Oh, thank heavens. Is Jack still at the hospital?"

"Yeah, he's still there. I came home to change and shower real quick. I'm gonna go back after I'm done."

"Ok, sweetie. I'll make you a quick breakfast, what do you want?"

A stood there for a moment thinking about what I wanted to eat. Everything sounded good since my appetite seemed to come back.

"Umm, eggs, bacon, hash browns? Do we have that?" I answered.

"I think so. You go upstairs and take a shower. I'll go make your breakfast."

I could smell the aroma of the bacon and hash browns from my room after I came out of the bathroom. Draping a towel over my waist, I grabbed my razor and some shaving cream from the cabinet. I hated shaving. It's always been my least favorite morning routine, but since I can grow a full-grown beard in a week, shaving was definitely necessary.

I practically wolfed down two plates of the delicious breakfast my mom made. For a while she stood there staring at me when I ate. When I finally asked her what she was thinking she came over and gave me a kiss on the forehead saying, "I was just thinking about how much you've grown into a fine young man."

After breakfast, I took a ride over to Walgreen's to pick up a few necessities for Syd. If she was going to be stuck in a hospital for a few days, I wanted to make sure she wasn't going to be bored to death.

Cruising through the magazine section, I picked up a couple I knew would keep her company. I grabbed Cosmo, People, and a Sports Illustrated for me. Before going up to pay, I also grabbed a pint of coffee ice cream. Knowing Syd, nothing could keep her away from eating her coffee ice cream.

It was odd walking into her hospital room again to see her wide-awake and smiling. And it wasn't odd because of the way she looked, but because Jack was doing the same. Considering the last time Syd was conscious they weren't getting along too well, it was weird to see them in both good moods.

"Hey!" Syd saidwide awake and happilywhen I walked in.

"Hey yourself." I walked over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Oh good, Michael, your back," Standing up from the chair, Jack stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go home for a bit and do a little work if that's ok. Are you ok with that Sydney?"

"Yeah, sure dad."

"Ok, I'll be back in a bit. See you guys later." He nodded at the both of us and then exited the room.

Taking a seat where Jack previously sat, I pulled it close to Syd's bed.

"Alright, so I brought you some presents."

"Ohh! Presents!" Syd's eyes lit up like Christmas lights at the mention of presents. While she couldn't move her body much, all of her emotion was in her face.

"Here's the first one." I pulled out the Cosmo magazine and handed it to her.

"Very nice choice Vaughn. This should take me about two hours to read from the cover to the back."

"I figured. I also like to add I suffered the embarrassment of buying that for you because the guy working the counter gave me a once over thinking I was gay." Syd burst out laughing and then cringed from the obvious pain still affecting her body. "Oops, sorry Syd, I'm not supposed to make you laugh. Ok, here's the next one."

Handing her the People Magazine, she immediately flipped to page 29. Of course, page 29 was beginning of the four page Brad Pitt article. How can I compete with Brad Pitt? Knowing I had to pull her away from Brad for a bit, I pulled out the coffee ice cream.

"Oh Vaughn, you didn't." She threw the magazine down on the bed and quickly reached for the pint.

"Oh I did. Here, you have to eat this fast before it melts." Handing her a spoon, she popped open the lid and spooned a big scoop into her mouth.

"Wow, this tastes divine." Her statement came out as practically a moan. "Here, you have to help me with this." She took another big scoop and shoved it into my mouth. I had to say, the coffee ice cream was definitely appetizing.

"So are you feeling any better?" I asked after swallowing the ice cream.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better. I'm finally out of that haze from the sedatives they gave me last night. They gave me some pain medicine that's helping a little. I just took it so I should be getting tired in a little bit."

"Good, I'm glad you're feeling better. Maybe you can get out of here quicker then."

A comfortable silence filled the room as Syd continued to spoon more ice cream into her mouth. I started skimming through my Sports Illustrated magazine when I found an interesting article on The Sharks captain, Patrick Marleau.

I was halfway done with the article when I heard a groan come from Syd. Looking up, I let out a chuckle when I saw the look on her face. She managed to finish the whole pint of ice cream and had the empty container sitting on her stomach.

"Wow that was good." She handed me the empty container and spoon so I could dispose it in the garbage can.

"I knew that would make you feel better."

"Vaughn, come here."

I got up from my chair and took a seat on her bed. Grabbing both of my hands, she looked down for a second, and then brought her eyes up to meet mine.

"I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for everything. For staying with me all night, for being so caring, and for bringing me magazines and ice cream." She brought her right hand up and started to run her fingers over my fresh shaved jaw. "You mean so much to me Vaughn. I want you to know that."

"I know Syd, you mean the world to me too." I took her hand from my face and placed a kiss on her open palm. "Maybe you should get some rest."

"Ok, you're not going to leave are you?" She asked me.

"No, I'll be right here with you when you wake up."

Bending down, I kissed her cheek and then brought her blankets up to her shoulders making sure she was covered all the way. Her eyes were already closed and her breathing started to level out by the time I was done fixing her blankets.

I brushed a few strands of hair away from her face and then took a close look at her face. She was so beautiful. Being with her made me feel like the luckiest guy on earth.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

**Syd's POV**

I didn't get released from the hospital until Thursday morning. It was amazing how much better I felt after what happened to me. I was able to walk somewhat normally and the pain wasn't too bad. I wasn't too pleased with all of the cuts around my body, but I knew those would heal eventually. The pain in my back got a tad bit better, but the bruising looked awful. I was thankful though. I was thankful that I came out of the car accident without any serious injuries or long-term damage.

Vaughn, his mom, and my dad were the ones that kept me company the few days that I had to spend in the hospital. When I was lying there in the bed and taking a look around the room, everyone was laughing and smiling. Just the sight of everyone getting along made me incredibly happy.

At night, Vaughn insisted on staying with me at the hospital, but I forced him to go home. I knew the chair he slept in was going to end up killing his neck, so every night I reassured him that I was fine. Being the loving boyfriend that he was, I knew he was skeptical about what I said, but he ended up listening to me. He would be back first thing in the morning though.

Vaughn always brought me something yummy to eat when he returned in the morning. He would bring me donuts, chocolate croissants or a bagel. My dad was also very sweet. He brought me snow bear to sleep with and a portable DVD player so I wouldn't be completely bored out of my mind.

The oddest thing was when I woke up from a nap and my dad and Vaughn were talking about sports. I didn't even know my dad followed sports. But, he sure as heck sounded like he knew what he was talking about. They were discussing something about building a new ballpark for the Dodgers. I wanted to listen, but couldn't really put a grip on the conversation since the pain medication was still making me groggy.

When my dad finally brought me home on Thursday, I couldn't have been more thrilled. My bed felt so comfortable and warm. Sleeping on that hospital bed was like sleeping on the floor. The doctor ordered me to stay off of my feet as much as possible and to only walk when necessary. I wasn't allowed to drive either. Not because of the accident, but because the pain medication I was on was supposed to make me sleepy and they didn't want me falling asleep on the road.

That night, Vaughn came over after dinner and brought me a whole pot of delicious Clam Chowder that Amelié made from scratch.

"Hey Syd, my mom made you some soup if you're up to eating." Vaughn said as he walked into my room.

My appetite still hadn't returned and the only thing I felt like eating was crackers and sprite. It's not like I was sick, but everything seemed to upset my stomach.

"Thanks. I'm not really hungry, but I'll try it in a little bit." Taking off his shoes, Vaughn slipped under the covers with me.

"You know we have to go back to school on Sunday. Are you going to be ok with sitting in a car for a few hours?" I snuggled up to his body and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be ok. I'll be sure to take a couple of pills to make sure I'm at least comfortable sitting there."

"Ok good."

Just then, my dad walked into the room and was a bit taken back by the sight before him. Walking in with a bowl of clam chowder in one hand, and a spoon in the other, his eyes widened a little bit and then normalized as the initial shock by passed him. It's not everyday that he walks in on his daughter and her boyfriend in bed. But, I would like to add that we were fully clothed and just cuddling.

Vaughn immediately jumped up out of bed and stood up.

"Hi Jack… I know I already said hi to you downstairs, but hello again. Umm, I uhh… yeah, Syd and I were just talking." He couldn't spit a word out to save his life.

"Hello Michael. Yes, it looks like you guys were doing a lot of talking." My dad said while walking over to my bed. "Here, you should try to eat some of this. It will make you feel better sweetheart." He placed the bowl of clam chowder on my bed stand.

"Thanks dad. I'll try to eat some in some in a little while." Before shutting my door, he gave Vaughn a fatherly glare.

Right after my dad exited my room, Vaughn was still standing up and looking a little tense. I knew him and my dad had reached an understanding, but I don't think it made him any less uncomfortable.

"Vaughn, you can get back into bed, you know." I pulled back the covers a little and patted the mattress.

"Are you sure? I mean he's not going to walk in again, right? I don't want to get on his bad side. I've seen his bad side Syd, and it's not fun."

"It's going to be ok. By the way, I like how you clarified for my dad that we were just talking."

Still not getting back into the bed, Vaughn began to pace back and forth. He ran his fingers through his unruly hair a few times, making it look even more disheveled than it already was.

"What? I didn't want him to think we were having sex or anything." He answered.

"What if we were? Were you gonna jump out of bed naked?"

"Can we stop talking about this? The thought of your dad walking in on us while we're having sex is not something I want to talk about."

"Fine, just please get into bed."

**Vaughn's POV**

When a girl tells you to get into bed, you get into the damn bed. It's not like I have any experience in this. Syd's the only one that has told me to get into her bed. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I would love spending time in her bed with her. What guy wouldn't? It's not like I haven't had thoughts about this. I'm a 19-year-old guy after all. We're supposed to think about these things.

I snuggled up close to her body and wrapped my arms around her. It was perfect. The dim light from the moon set a soft glow around the room. The slow music from the stereo filled our ears as we continued to lie there. Apart from the music, it was silent. No talking was needed because we both knew it would ruin the moment.

Continuing to lie there, I thought Syd was asleep by then cause her breathing started to level out and she hadn't said anything in the past 10 minutes. Suddenly, she slipped both of her hands under my shirt and started running her fingertips over my stomach and chest.

I gasped as her hands came into contact with my bare skin. Maneuvering herself on top of my body, she brought her lips to my neck. Darting her tongue out of her mouth, she started doing all sorts of things with my neck that I had no idea what the hell was going on. All I knew was that I was losing control… fast.

"Syd… Hey Syd, hold on a second…" She couldn't seem to stop herself at all and moved her lips to the sensitive spot behind my ear. "Baby, slow down a little."

Her lips felt amazing on my neck, but I couldn't bring myself to get lost in the moment. I was halfway gone, but my mind kept reminding me that Jack could walk in any minute and find us like this. For sure this time he would then drag me downstairs and beat the living crap out of me.

I grabbed her hands from under my shirt and slowly picked up her body off of mine.

"What's wrong Vaughn? Don't you want this?" She asked concerned.

"Oh believe me, I want this. But, you just got out of the hospital. You're in no condition to be doing… that. I don't want you to get hurt." I propped myself up on one elbow so I could look down at her.

"I'm not going to get hurt. Trust me, I've been thinking a lot about this and I want to be with you."

Putting her head down to stare at the bed, a blush crept over her face.

"When did you have time to think about this? You were conked out most of the time in the hospital." I said letting out a chuckle.

"I started thinking about it the day I woke up. After seeing you there, sleeping next to my bed, I wanted to show you just how I felt about you. You've been so good to me Vaughn. I wanted to let you know that."

"Syd, you don't have to let me know through sex." We both laughed at my statement. "You could just tell me, you know."

"So you don't want to make love to me?"

"No!" My answer came out as more than a shout than anything else. I think I actually made her jump. "Of course I want to do that. It's just I don't want you to feel rushed. Don't you think it's too fast?"

"I guess so. We haven't been dating for that long."

"Listen to me Syd. When the time comes for us to take our relationship to the next level, then it'll just happen. I don't want both of us feeling we have to or we should do it. I don't want it to be planned. When we feel we're both ready, we're going to know."

It became silent for a few minutes. I didn't know if I said something wrong or upset her. But Syd wasn't saying anything.

Suddenly, she slowly moved to sit up against the back of her bed. Turning to me, she finally broke the silence.

"Ok." She said.

"Ok what?" I was slightly confused.

"We're not going to plan to have sex." She explained.

"Yes."

"We're just going to take things slow and let it happen."

"Yes."

"Are you sure this is what you want Vaughn?"

"Yes." A big smile played out on her face as she started to giggle.

"Is all you're going to say is yes?"

"I can't think of anything else to say." I answered.

"So we have everything straightened out, right?"

"Right. We're just going to let things play out and see where they'll take us. No pressure Syd. We'll go wherever life takes us."

Sunday morning was hard on the both of us. We got up at 7am in hopes to get on the road before the traffic hit. My mom packed every meal possible for me and stuffed it in the trunk. I swear, she made 10 different meals and put them all in plastic containers with little pink post notes on the top reminding me what was in them.

Before going to pick up Syd, I said a tearful goodbye to my mom. After everything that had happened that week, I felt really emotional.

I made sure I put Donovan's favorite pillow on my bed before I left. I knew he loved to sleep on my bed when I was gone and wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. Walking downstairs, I picked up the little guy and propped him on my lap.

"Alright Donny, you're the man of the house again. You make sure you take care of mom now. She's our special girl, you remember that ok?" His long, wet tongue lapped at my face until I finally pulled away.

"That's a good boy. I'll miss you buddy. I'll be back home in a little while."

Giving him one final hug, I put him back down on the ground. My mom stood by the threshold of the kitchen, watching the whole thing.

"He's going to miss his best friend, Michael." She said to me.

"I know he will. Make sure you give him a hug and a kiss for me everyday, ok mom?"

"Ok sweetie, I will."

I got up and embraced my mom tightly. Tears rolled down my face a little as the feeling of leaving all over again hit me hard. I could feel her wet tears against my neck while we both stayed silent.

"Thank you mom. Not just for making me all of that food, but for everything. For this week, for understanding Sydney and I, for being there for me when she got in the accident. I really needed you."

"I know dear. That's what mothers are for."

Pulling back, I gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you mom."

"I love you too Michael. Have a safe trip back and call me when you get in."

Wiping my eyes one last time, I shut the front door and hopped into my car to pick up Sydney.

**Syd's POV**

"Ok sweetheart, make sure you take all of your medicines everyday. Stay off of your feet as much as possible and don't drive anywhere. Make Michael carry your backpack and let him take care of you." My dad held up the bottle of pills I was supposed to take, shook the bottle a little, and then placed them in my backpack.

"I know dad. I'll be fine, really."

Walking over to my dad, I threw my arms around his neck and held him.

"Now you take care of yourself dad. No overworking yourself or staying up too late."

"Ok Sydney, I won't."

"Oh, and also, it's ok to call me more than every two weeks." He chuckled a little after hearing my statement.

"Alright, I will call you more often than every two weeks."

After hearing the doorbell ring, we broke apart. My dad grabbed my suitcase from the couch as I opened the door.

"Hello Michael. Will you open up your trunk for me so I can put this in your car?" My dad asked.

"Yeah, sure Jack."

Following them out to the back of Vaughn's car, I saw my dad place my suitcase in the trunk.

"You take care of my daughter now Michael, you hear me?" My dad's voice was stern, but it was only to make sure that Vaughn knew he was serious.

"Yes sir. I promise, I'll take care of her."

They both shook hands and a small smile could be seen on my dad's face. The trip home was a wild one. I never expected to fight with my dad, get in a car accident, and still end up in this position. After everything that had happened, I wasn't sorry for anything.

I came out of this Spring Break accomplishing a lot. My dad and I were finally on the same page. He promised me he would be the father that I needed and would respect my relationship with Vaughn. And while things were rough for a while, I could only see smooth sailing from that moment.


	18. Chapter 18

_Wasn't last night's Alias ep great?I thought it was awesome. Got me all excited and happy that I decided to update my fic. Thanks once again for all the reviews!_

Chapter 18.

**Syd's POV**

By the time Thursday night rolled around I was exhausted. The days at school seemed so long and it was tiring going back and forth to class. I didn't think that my injuries from the accident would hamper any of my everyday activities, but boy was I wrong.

Every morning when I woke up my back was so stiff I could hardly get out of bed. I was on my pain medication every six hours and it was causing me to doze off during class. Vaughn was being so amazingly helpful. He would drive me back and forth to the campus and walk me to class. At night he would make me dinner and make sure I was comfortable.

Well, he really didn't make me dinner. It was more like warming up the food his mom made him in the microwave and putting it on a plate. But still, it was a sweet gesture.

We actually developed a nightly routine. After all of our classes were done we would help each other with homework and studying. After the studying was done, we would eat dinner together on the couch and watch TV with Weiss. I didn't know how fun playing the X-box was until I actually tried it. Luckily, Weiss had 3 controls and I became very skilled at that game Halo. I didn't know they were completely obsessed with that game.

Technically, it was like I was living with them. I spent every night with Vaughn and only went home to pick up more clothes and books I needed for school. I felt bad for leaving Francie at the apartment. But, it wasn't like she was alone.

When I came home on Sunday night, Vaughn and I found Will sitting at the kitchen counter with his boxers on. I didn't even recognize him without his clothes on and I almost screamed that someone was in our apartment.

That poor Will was also stunned to see that I was home. When I opened the front door he jumped up and ran into Francie's room. I don't think I've ever seen a brighter shade of red creep up on anyone's face like it did to Will.

Francie apologized about a million times for not having him dressed when I came home. Obviously, I could see that their relationship has progressed to the next level while we were gone. According to Francie, Will had practically moved in with us. When I went into her bathroom to grab the extra bottle of toothpaste, all of his toiletries were already in her bathroom.

Vaughn and I thought it was so amusing walking in on Will in his boxers that we told Weiss immediately when we walked in. Of course, he was so happy to see us that he nearly tackled Vaughn and gave me a big bear hug. Politely telling him that I had been injured in an accident, he apologized and promised not to touch me.

Surprisingly, he was actually bummed about Will. Apparently, from all the time that Weiss had spent with Francie while she was tutoring him, he had developed a crush on her. Both Vaughn and I felt terrible for him. He finally found a nice girl to like and she ended up getting with another guy.

It was odd returning to San Francisco because it felt like we missed so much. It was nice being back home and away from the madness of the city and all the schoolwork that's been piling up.

Saturday night I was feeling better and up to going out. We decided to take Weiss out to a club. He needed some definite cheering up and we knew that clubbing would boost his spirits.

After about a 15-minute drive, Weiss parked the car in front of this club called The Snow Drift. It looked to be a small building and you could hear the music blaring from front doors. Crowds of people were lined up around the block while it looked to be a long wait to get in.

Vaughn looked deliciously yummy that night. He was dressed in a black dress shirt with thin white stripes going down the length of his arms and body. His black dress pants were cleanly ironed and looking perfect on his muscular, long legs.

We waited outside for a good half hour before getting in. After paying for the both of us, Vaughn and I entered the club hand in hand with Weiss following closely behind.

"Ok dude, you have to tell me your secrets." Weiss yelled over the loud music.

"What secrets? I don't have any." Vaughn answered as we found a small, circular table and sat down.

"Tell me how you do it. How you get all the girls to stare at you."

"What? I don't know what you're talking about."

Weiss and I both glared at him. What did he mean he didn't know what he was talking about? Was he totally oblivious to every single girl standing outside the club staring at him and giving him a once over. I wasn't too comfortable with the fact that girls were undressing him with their eyes.

That was part of the reason I stood behind Vaughn and wrapped my arms around his waist. I gave those girls the, 'back off he's mine' look and rested my chin on his shoulder.

"Mike, seriously. Are you blind? Every girl outside and inside this club wants you."

"It's true Vaughn. I saw them looking at you. You can't deny that you didn't see them." I told him.

"Yeah I noticed. But, I don't pay attention to them. I'm paying attention at you." Winking at me, I brought my hand behind his head and started playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck.

"Hey! You two! Focus at the problem at hand here. Big teddy bear Weiss needs a girl."

"Just be yourself man. When you talk to a girl, don't try and impress her with some bullshit. Don't use any corny jokes or tell any lame stories. Find out what she likes and keep the conversation going. Walk with confidence. Women love a man that is confidence." Vaughn told him.

Nodding his head, Weiss stayed silent absorbing the advice that Vaughn was giving him. After a minute or two of silence, he got up off the chair and stood up. Straightening out the collar and smoothing the wrinkles of his shirt, he surveyed the dance floor.

"Alright, I'm going in."

**Vaughn's POV**

Weiss looked to be unsuccessful with the first two girls he approached. They both ended up walking away from him and laughing. I really felt for the guy. There wasn't anything I could do to help him out either. The last time I went to a club with him, he wouldn't even let me come within 30 ft. of him. He said that if I were around, the girls would all flock to me and ignore him.

Finally, the third girl he approached accepted his offer to dance and they looked to be having a good time. Weiss was doing his best attempt at dancing. I don't even know if I'm allowed to call it dancing. It was more like flailing your limbs around and moving your hips in ten different directions.

Syd found it equally amusing to watch, as she couldn't refrain from laughing at Weiss. She looked so adorable, sitting there giggling with her hand over her mouth. She was wearing a skirt again and if she was trying to kill me, it was damn well working.

When she walked out of my room wearing a short, tan skirt, I had to pick my mouth off of the floor. She looked incredibly hot. And, it's not like she doesn't know what she does to me. Syd knows how to work me and knows that I can't resist her long, smooth legs.

Drumming her fingernails on the glass table, she turned to me and gave me a big dimpled smile.

"You ready to go out there and show me your moves Mr. Vaughn?"

"I don't know. Are you sure you're up to dancing? You're not going to be in pain, are you?" I questioned.

"Nah, I'll be fine. Let's go stud."

Grabbing my hand, we walked down the steps and on to the dance floor. We both gave a small wave to Weiss when he spotted us in the corner.

With the music pounding loudly in my ears, I started to move my body to the beat. Suddenly, Syd put her back against my chest and brought my hands down to her hips. We both moved in unison while she brought her hands down to cover mine.

While dancing, a few guys actually asked me if they could cut in. I didn't say anything, but gave them an 'Are you serious?' look. Couldn't they tell that she was with me?

Weiss made his way back to us after awhile. I guess the girl dancing with him couldn't take any more of the flailing and decided to leave. He still looked to be pleased with his performance so that was cool. You gotta give the guy credit for trying.

After watching Weiss go through the running man, the worm, the sprinkler, and a very bad attempt at C-walking, I excused myself and made my way towards the bathroom. I was laughing so hard that my stomach muscles started to ache.

Splashing some water on my face, I attempted to cool myself down a little. All of the dancing and the laughing made me extremely hot.

While making my way back to the dance floor, I ran into one of the girls from my government class. It was hard to recognize her since she looked so different outside of class. I almost walked right past her until she grabbed my elbow.

"Michael?" She pulled me back so I was facing her.

"Oh, hi Lianne."

"Hi! It's nice to see you outside of the classroom. Are you having fun?"

"Yeah, this place is cool. I'm having a good time so far. What about you?" Pushing her body closer to mine to talk in my ear made me slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm having a great time." She answered.

"That's good. Professor Roswell's lecture on Thursday put me to sleep."

"Oh I know. Wasn't that terrible. I dozed off for awhile."

"Yeah, so did I."

"You look really great tonight Michael." Her lips were so close to my ear I thought she was going to pull a Mike Tyson on me.

"Oh, uhh, thanks."

"Do you want to dance with me?" Putting her hand on my chest, she looked down towards the floor.

"Actually, I'm with my girlfriend. She's on the dance floor right now. It was good seeing you though."

And with that, I made my way back to Syd who watched me walk down the stairs and towards her.

**Syd's POV**

After Vaughn left to go to the bathroom, I danced with Weiss a little until he started doing the robot. His robot moves were a little too much for me so I backed away and scanned the room to look for Vaughn.

Finally spotting him, I saw that he was talking to a cute blonde that was looking a little to cozy next to him. It was obvious that she was flirting and kept whispering in his ear. I wasn't jealous until I saw her step even closer to him and put her hand on his chest. I was about to walk up there and stake my claim until I saw Vaughn back away and say goodbye to her.

"He doesn't want any girl but you Syd." Weiss said while standing behind me.

"I know. Isn't he the cutest?" I sounded like a little girl talking about her favorite stuffed animal.

"Oh yeah, Mike is just the cutest ever!" Attempting to make his voice a little too feminine, the laughter erupted from my body. He even did the thing with his wrist.

"What's so funny over here?" Vaughn questioned as he wrapped me up in his strong arms.

"Nothing. Weiss thinks you're cute." I said laughing.

"He what!"

"Oh come on Mike. Like you didn't know already." Weiss made his way over to Vaughn and reached out to touch his arm when Vaughn swatted it away.

"Dude, don't ever touch me."

"I was just kidding, man. Syd asked me if I thought you were the cutest and I was just mocking her."

All three of us went into a fit of laughter again until our stomachs couldn't take it anymore. By that time, I was getting tired and my body was starting to ache a little. Grabbing my cell phone out of my back pocket to look at the time, it read 1:12. The three of us agreed that we should make our way home and exited the club.

When we got home, Weiss and Vaughn thought it would be fun to see who could drink more beers. I sat there with a cup of tea in my hand and surveyed their odd, drunk behavior. Weiss started slurring his words and kept singing the lyrics from 50 cent's, 'P.I.M.P'

Vaughn wasn't as bad as Weiss was. He had a good buzz going on, but it didn't make him act any differently. Although, when Weiss started singing the chorus of the song, he started to join in. They tried to get me to drink a little, but I hated the taste of beer.

I was so drained from the night before that I didn't wake up till 10:30 the next morning and woke up to an empty spot to the right of me. Walking out of the room, Weiss informed me that Vaughn went for a run. I grabbed a cup of coffee and went to sit next to Weiss at the kitchen table.

"So did you have fun last night?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I had a lot of fun. Thanks for taking me out. You really didn't have to do that, you know."

"I know, but you needed a little cheering up and you looked like you were having a great time."

Grabbing the front page of the SF Chronicle, I started to thumb through the pages.

"So Syd, is Francie really into Will?" I looked up to see Weiss take a sip of from his coffee mug.

"I'm sorry Weiss, but she is. She seemed to be really into him when I left for Spring Break. Now I guess he's spending the nights over there."

"Oh, I see."

"I'm sorry Weiss. I don't mean to bum you out again. I shouldn't have told you."

"No. It's fine. Well, she deserves to be happy." He forced a sad smile on his face and I could tell he was disappointed.

"Don't worry about it. You're a great guy Weiss. Any girl would be happy to have you and I mean that. One of these days a nice girl is going to come around." Reaching across the table, I patted his hand.

"Thanks Syd."

**Vaughn's POV**

When I woke up early the next morning, I couldn't fall back asleep. It was amazing that I was so awake considering I downed a few beers too many last night. Man was that a dumb idea. But, we had so much beer in the fridge that Weiss said we needed to clean it out.

It was great having Syd almost living with me. It was the little things that made me smile. Like, how we brushed our teeth together at nights and how she liked to nuzzle my neck when she woke up in the morning. Weiss also loved having Syd around since he could talk to her about Francie.

I decided to drive over to the beach for a run. With the wind blowing softly into my face, I jogged up and down the beach. I passed by several people running, walking their dogs, and slowly strolling through the sand.

It was absolutely beautiful being out there in the morning. The sounds of the waves were peaceful and the sun was peaking out from behind the clouds. A few surfers were out on the water trying to catch a few waves and I couldn't help but think how cold that water must be.

On my way back home, I stopped at Noah's bagels to pick up a few for Weiss and Syd. The streets were crowded and I had to circle around the block a couple of times until I found parking a few stores down from the bagel place.

I ordered half a dozen bagels figuring Weiss would eat the leftovers sometime during the rest of the day. When I walked out of the bagel shop, I recognized a guy that swiftly walked passed me. I was too busy putting the change into my wallet to get a good look at him. He had his back turned to me, but I could've sworn it was someone I knew.

After watching him walk down the street for a minute, he accidentally dropped his wallet and bent down to pick it up. That's when I finally figured out who it was. It was Will. But, he wasn't alone. He was with a girl who looked to be around our age. She had short brown hair and was smiling down at him.

Ok, maybe she was his sister, I thought. I was proven wrong when Will got up and put his arm around the unidentified girl. Alright, so check his sister off the list. They looked a little too close for that. So it's his friend. A guy is allowed to be just friends with a girl, right?

Again, I was proven wrong when the pair turned to enter Starbucks and Will planted a lingering kiss on the girl's lips. I was nearly horrified at the sight before me. All I could think about was that Will was cheating on Francie.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	19. Chapter 19

_Thanks for all the reviews! And, hello to some of the new readers. Ok, so when I first started writing this fic, I had no intention of putting Weiss and Francie together. She really was supposed to be with Will. But, I got such a big response from you guys wanting Weiss and Francie to hook up before I even thought of it. So, I decided to write it in the story even though I love Will on the show._

_So the bad news is that I'm sick and have to stay in bed all day. Good news is that I can't go to my classes and have nothing to do so I'm writing... so it works out for you guys. :p_

Chapter 19.

**Vaughn's POV**

The scene played out in my mind a million times while I just stood there on the street looking like an idiot. I couldn't even move. From the few months that I have known Francie, she had been nothing but a great friend and person. She didn't deserve to get cheated on by that scum bag Will.

On the drive back to my apartment, I continued to contemplate any possible explanation for Will's behavior. He did kiss the other girl on the lips and lingered there a little longer than what would look friendly. Maybe it was his good friend? Screw it, good friends don't kiss like that. Syd and I didn't kiss like that when we were just friends.

When I walked into the apartment, Syd jumped up from the kitchen table and gave me a big kiss on the lips.

"Hi sweetie!" She said cheerfully. "Oooh, you brought bagels. You read my mind perfectly."

Grabbing the bag of bagels from my hand, she made her way back to the kitchen table. Just then, Weiss came strolling up to me.

"Hey there studly, you brought bagels!" His voice was high pitched and moved towards me like he was going to give me a kiss.

"Get the hell away from me! Are you still drunk?" I said shoving his body away from me.

"I'm just kidding. I was just over there hitting on your girlfriend."

"I bet you were you jerk."

Sydney shifted over in her seat and patted the edge of the hard, wooden chair, wanting me to sit next to her. Grabbing a knife from the drawer, I took a seat beside her and started to cut her bagel.

"How was your run?" She asked, nudging me in the side.

"It was good."

"Are you ok, Vaughn? You look a little pale?" I handed her the bagel as she proceeded to spread the cream cheese liberally from edge to edge.

"I saw something… weird today when I was getting you guys bagels." I explained.

"Weird? What do you mean?"

"I saw Will kissing another girl." I cringed knowing the exact reaction I was going to get.

"You what!" Both Weiss and Syd screamed in unison.

Weiss came barreling over from the couch and sat opposite from Syd and I. Syd's hand patted my leg under the table, encouraging me to go on.

"I was walking out of Noah's bagels when I saw Will with another girl. He had his arm around her and at first I thought it was his sister. But then, he kissed her."

Stopping in mid bite, Syd put her bagel down and pushed herself away from the table. She began to pace back and forth in front of our fridge and sink. She looked to be deep in thought.

"Maybe it was his cousin." Weiss said while chomping on a whole bagel. It was one he didn't even bother cutting or putting cream cheese on.

"That's what I thought! But the kiss was heated. It was definitely not a family member. If it was, he is in one sick family." I ran a hand through my damp hair and down my face.

"Ok, let's call Francie. I'll ask her what she's doing right now and then casually ask where Will is. He can't be with that girl and Francie at the same time. If he gave her a lame excuse, then we'll know." Syd explained, walking back to the table and placing herself on my lap.

Grabbing her cell phone, she pressed 5, which I was assuming was the number for Francie on speed dial. I made a mental note to ask Syd which number she had for me on speed dial.

"Hey Fran! What are you up to, sweetie?" Syd was trying her best to sound cheerful while Weiss continued to sit there anxiously.

"Yeah? Oh you're by yourself. Where's Will?"

Weiss and I both nodded at each other, acknowledging that Francie was alone.

"Oh, we're just hanging out. We called because… because… we have extra bagels. Yeah, we were just calling to tell you that if you want some bagels, they're over here at Vaughn's place!"

I had to stifle my laughter by pressing my face into Syd's shoulder. What a lame excuse. She couldn't come up with something better than that? She slapped my knee a couple of times in attempt to make me shut up.

"Alright Fran, I'll be by the apartment later. Bye!" Closing her phone, she turned slightly on my knee to face me.

"Yeah, he's definitely cheating on her." She said, picking up her bagel and taking a few bites.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"She said that Will didn't stay over last night because he said he wasn't feeling good. Are you sure he's the one you saw?"

"Of course, I'm positive."

"That little bastard!" Weiss growled while standing up. "C'mon Vaughn, we're gonna beat the shit out of this dude. How dare he cheat on Francie!"

"Calm down there tiger. We need to tell her first, right Syd?" I started rubbing my hand up and down her back as I could see that she was feeling bad for her best friend.

"Yeah, do we have to tell her now? I mean she's going to be hurt." Sadness was evident in her voice as she spoke soft.

"Aww, Syd. We'll go with you, ok?" Weiss walked over and ruffled her hair a little. "You don't have to do it alone."

**Syd's POV**

I felt horrible. Francie was my best friend and she didn't deserve any of this. When she talked about Will, her whole face lit up and you really got the genuine feeling that she was smitten with this guy. She was going to be devastated with the news. I agreed with Weiss. I say let Vaughn and Weiss beat the shit out of Will.

The whole time Vaughn was in the shower, I went back under the covers of his bed and curled up on his side. I still hadn't changed out of my pajamas. Actually, they were Vaughn's clothes. I became accustomed to sleeping in his blue Champion shorts and one of his t-shirts.

I was lying there, thinking to myself when Vaughn exited the bathroom. I smiled when he came out shirtless, wearing only black, Nike track pants. His body was absolutely flawless. His abs were hard and his chest and shoulders were well defined. He wasn't one of those guys that were overly buff and gross. He was more the type that was fit and slender. The type that by looking at his body, you could tell he was in good shape, but wasn't the one to go and lift weights until they can't move.

Running a towel through his wet hair, he took a seat at the edge of the bed.

"You going to stay in bed all day? I could join you, you know." His tone was flirty and that sly little grin was plastered on his face.

"No. I'm going to get up right now." I lifted myself off the bed and made my way to the bag of clothes on the floor. "Put a shirt on, by the way. You're distracting me."

"I'll only put one on if I have the one you're wearing." Picking up one of my sandals, I playfully tossed it towards his way.

"Vaughn! Will you stop it! I'm sitting here concerned about my friend and you're trying to seduce me!"

"Can't blame a guy for trying, can you?" He snapped back.

"Yeah, yeah. Just go put a shirt on."

Later on in the day, we decided that we were going to go back to my apartment that night and tell Francie. In an effort to make her feel better, we were planning on bringing all of her favorite foods. Of course it was Weiss' plan to bring her all of her favorite foods and even offered to go to the store and pick them up. It was such a sweet gesture.

Then, Vaughn and I took it back and got mad at him when he said he was willing to stay at my place with Francie since she would be in a very sad, vulnerable state. He was implying that she would be hurt and not able to control herself. Leave it to Weiss to want to think of something like that.

On the way to my place, we picked up Chinese food from Fran's favorite place. We all agreed the more food we got, the better. Plus, Weiss insisted he could eat a whole order of chicken chowmein.

Right when we reached my door, I almost forgot I lived there and went to knock. Vaughn was the one who reminded me that I had a key. I could see Weiss taking a deep breath before sticking the key in and opening up.

"Fran?" I yelled out while putting the foot down on the kitchen counter.

"I'm in here Syd! I'll be right out!" She answered back from behind her closed door.

Wasting no time, Weiss grabbed a plate from the cupboard and began to pile a big mound of chowmein and chicken on the center of it. Vaughn and I both gave him a serious stare making him go, "What? We'll eat first then tell her. I have to feed my stomach you know."

"Hey guys! Oh you brought Chinese! You guys rock!" Francie said while exiting. She too wasted no time in digging into the food.

Vaughn and I both figured we'd do the same since Francie and Weiss were stuffing their mouths. We ate in silence for a couple of minutes when a male voice called out from Francie's room.

"Hey babe, do you have any extra towels?" All of Weiss' food dropped out of his mouth as all of us registered whose voice it was.

It was definitely Will in there. What the hell was he doing here? He wasn't supposed to be here. Our plan took a turn for the worst when we all realized there's no way we could tell her with Will being here. After all, he was the reason we were here in the first place.

While Fran walked back into her room, the three of us gathered together closely to figure out what we were going to do.

"He's not supposed to be here!" Weiss whispered with a spoonful of fried rice in his mouth.

"No shit! Will you stop eating Eric! This is important!" Vaughn took Weiss' plate away from him and placed it back on the kitchen counter.

"Ok, obviously we can't tell her with Will here. We either need to get rid of him, or we're not telling her tonight." I said softly.

"Syd, we have to tell her. That little sleaze ball is cheating on her. She needs to know."

We all realized Weiss was right. If we didn't tell her right away she would be upset.

"Alright, I'll bring her into my room and tell her while you guys keep Will busy in the family room. Make sure there's nothing Fran can throw at him. She has a wicked temper and a good arm. The dude is scum, but we don't want things to get messy. Weiss, make sure you don't physically harm Will. Vaughn, you make sure he doesn't go anywhere. Got it?" I explained.

"Got it." Both boys repeated.

"Hey Syd, you're kinda sexy when you take charge." Vaughn scooted closer to me while Weiss rolled his eyes.

"Oh god! Will you two stop for two seconds!" Slapping both of us in the arm, we heard Francie shuffling behind us.

"Thanks for bringing over the food you guys. I was just going to cook for Will but you saved me some time." She said chuckling.

Just then, Will exited Fran's room and gave both of the guys a high five.

"What's up guys? Are we all hanging out tonight?" He said while Weiss sat there glaring at him and clenching his jaw tightly.

"Umm, I guess so." Vaughn answered tentatively.

"Hey Fran, can I talk to you in my room for a sec?" I asked.

"Yeah sure. Guys, we'll be right back."

**Vaughn's POV**

Both Syd and Francie went into Syd's room and closed the door. I could only think that the next time we saw Francie that she would be fuming. I couldn't do anything but sit there so I spooned some more food on my plate and gobbled it up.

"What was that all about?" Will asked us.

Weiss shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't know, as I stayed silent. The three of us didn't talk much since there really wasn't anything to talk about. I felt a twinge of awkwardness and a bit uneasy about the events that were to take place in a couple of minutes.

It seemed like Syd and Francie were in there forever. All of us were well past being full and continued to sit at the kitchen counter.

Francie was the first to exit Syd's room. Walking out slowly, her fists were balled up with Kleenex while her eyes looked puffy. Syd had a sad look on her face and laid a comforting hand on Francie's shoulder.

"Francie, baby, what's wrong?" Will walked over to her and attempted to touch her, but she shoved him away.

"I hate you!" She yelled. "How could you do this to me!"

Will stood there with a shocked look on his face. Obviously the idiot didn't know what was going on. I mean, if I were in his situation, I probably would've figured out that my girlfriend found out I was playing her.

"What are you talking about, babe?"

"You have been cheating on me! Don't act like you don't know Will!" Francie's voice was hoarse and her eyes were narrowly looking at Will.

"You don't understand…"

"What do you mean I don't understand? I understand clearly. You were screwing another girl while you were with me. Michael saw you this morning!"

All eyes turned to me while little beads of sweat broke out on my forehead. I really didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but what I saw was unmistakable. It was slightly nerve racking to have everyone staring at you though.

"Why do you have to tell on me you little rat!" Will strode towards me a lifted his fist like he was going to punch me until Weiss came over and stood in front of me.

"You better put your fist down, Will. You don't want a piece of Vaughn and I. You cheated on our friend and we weren't going to sit here and let her suffer while you were fooling around."

Will backed down and turned to Francie.

"Francie I am so sorry. Please, I'll make it up to you. I promise. Don't listen to them. I never meant to hurt you." He pleaded.

"Get out. I don't ever want to see you again." Pointing to the door, she stood there with an expressionless look on her face.

Will walked out with this shoulders slumped and looking defeated. As soon as the door closed Francie broke down into tears. Helping her to the couch, Syd motioned for me to go get the box of Kleenex from her room.

Weiss sat down on the couch and took Francie in his arms while she sobbed into his shirt.

"It's ok Fran. That guy is an ass. You're better off without him." He said as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Placing the box of Kleenex on the coffee table, I walked back to Syd and put my arm around her shoulders.

"You ok?" I asked, placing a kiss on her temple.

"Yeah, I'm fine. She's pretty torn up though. Maybe I should stay with her tonight. I don't want to leave her alone." She answered and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"You mind if I stay with you guys? I think Weiss wants to too."

"Ok. Thanks for being here Vaughn."

"Of course, Syd. She's our friend too. Don't worry about it. She's going to be fine."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	20. Chapter 20

_Hey guys! Thanks again for all the reviews :) How much did Alias kick ass on Wednesday? And the S/V kiss... the sweetest thing. Here's an update! Enjoy..._

Chapter 20.

**Syd's POV**

It took a few days for Francie to stop fuming. Despite her relationship with Will being a short one, it was one that she was wishing would work out. I didn't blame her. Will looked to be a really great guy and by hanging out with him, you would have no idea he was screwing around behind her back.

I went back to sleeping at my place so Fran wouldn't have to be alone. Vaughn and Weiss also spent a lot of time with us trying to cheer up Francie. Everyday she seemed to look a little better and we were all assured that in no time she would be back on her feet.

The only thing we were concerned about was her trust in guys. We could tell that Will totally destroyed her in that area and it would be awhile before she could fully trust a guy again. In the back of her mind she's always going to think about what Will did to her and it will leave a permanent mark in her mind.

Weiss absolutely loved all the attention he was receiving from Francie. She always went to him to cry on his shoulder and he would welcome her with open arms. Francie even commented on how sweet he was being while Vaughn and I rolled our eyes. The girl had no idea.

The school year was actually close to ending since our finals were starting in two weeks. None of us were looking forward to it, but all of us wanted our freshman year to end. I was actually excited to spend my summer in LA with Vaughn and my dad. If my dad promised to change I wanted to be the first one to witness it.

On Friday afternoon, Vaughn and I decided to go to the beach since the springtime weather was beautiful in San Francisco. With the air still cool, but the sun brightly shining, it gave the beach an amazing glow. While strolling near the water, we stopped every once in awhile to watch the dogs run by us.

"I wish I could bring Donovan here. He'd love running on the beach and playing in the little dog park up there." Vaughn said as he smiled at the little Border collie running circles around his feet.

"Maybe in the fall you could bring him up here for awhile. I know your apartment complex allows dogs." I responded.

"Nah, Donovan keeps my mom company at home. I wouldn't want her to be lonely down there. Besides, Weiss would overfeed him and make him fat."

We both let out a slight chuckle and continued to stroll down the beach. A comfortable silence fell around us as Vaughn grabbed for my hand.

"So… I was thinking… tomorrow is our one month anniversary Syd." A big smirk came on his face after he said that.

"Yes, it is. I was just thinking about that. Tomorrow is the one month anniversary of when we finally kissed at Will's party."

"Yep. And I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to dinner tomorrow night. There's this really great French place called Fleur De Lys off of Sutter."

"Vaughn… that place is really fancy and expensive." Even though I was flattered by the offer, I didn't want Vaughn to be spending that much money on us.

"But Syd, it's perfect. Don't worry about how expensive it is. I want tomorrow night to be different from all our dates. I want it to be special. So… are you game?"

Knowing it would mean a lot to the both of us, I decided to agree.

"Of course I am." Leaning over, I planted a wet kiss on his cheek. "Then after dinner… I dunno… we could go back to my place. I know Weiss and Francie are hanging out at your apartment tomorrow night."

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Vaughn doing his eyebrow thing again. You know, the one where his right eyebrow lifts when he's talking or looking at something interesting. It was so uniquely Vaughn and sexy as hell.

"Are you inferring what I think you are Bristow?" He said, nudging me in the elbow.

"I don't know. Like we said, we're not going to plan it. We'll see what happens after dinner, ok?" I asked.

"Ok."

**Vaughn's POV**

Friday night, I didn't get a wink of sleep. Most of the sleep depravation was because I was unbelievably excited about my date with Syd on Saturday night, but it was also hard not having her sleeping next to me.

I missed the feel of her warm hands on my chest and her smooth legs tangled up with mine under the blankets. I especially missed inhaling the intoxicating scent of her hair when I woke up. She loved to nuzzle her head into my neck and I loved bringing my nose down to the top of her head and inhaling deeply.

When I walked out of my room the next morning I found Weiss doing sit-ups next to the couch. He claimed he did 60 in a row when I really knew he was lying.

"Good morning sunshine!" Weiss exclaimed a little too loudly.

"Sit ups working?" I asked.

"Yeah, pretty soon this pot belly is going to turn into abs of steel my friend."

Letting out a sarcastic laugh, I gave him a 'yeah right' look.

"So what's this I hear about a romantic date with Sydney tonight?" He questioned taking a swig of water.

"I'm taking her to this French restaurant tonight. It's supposed to be one of the best places in the city. Francie is hanging out here with you, right?"

"Yeah, we're going to watch a movie and order some food I guess. Why? Is tonight going to be _The Night_?"

I paused before answering him. In my mind I could hear it screaming, 'I sure as hell hope so!' But, I didn't want to jinx myself.

"I don't know. Maybe. Syd and I already agreed that we weren't going to plan it. We're just going to see what happens." Trying to sound as casual as possible, I shrugged my shoulders.

"Ok, I know you're trying to be a nice guy and all Mike, but tell me the truth, you're hoping you guys are going to do it, right?"

"Yes, I'll admit it. If things get close again, I don't think I can hold back tonight."

"Wait a second..." He put down the bottle of water on the coffee table and walked swiftly into the kitchen. "What do you mean if it gets close again?"

"Well, when we were in LA, Syd was sorta trying to initiate things, but I stopped."

"Are you out of your mind? Why did you stop?" Weiss screamed.

"It was the day after she got out of the hospital! I didn't want her to get hurt again." I explained.

"Damn dude, you have more self-control than anyone I know." Shaking his head, he made his way into the bathroom to shower.

A million thoughts started running through my head as the realization of what could actually happen tonight hit me. I guess I was slightly embarrassed to admit that this was my first time. I haven't even had a serious girlfriend before Sydney.

The thought of finally being able to make love to Syd was starting to freak me out. What if I disappoint her? What if she's not ready? What if I do it wrong? Wait, is that even possible?

Shaking my head, I decided that I would have to stop thinking about it or I was going to psyche myself out. This is what happens when you plan it. You start flipping out and thinking of every possible thing that could go wrong. Well, we both said we weren't going to plan it, but in the back of our minds, I think the same thought was going through Syd's head.

I tried everything to stop thinking about it. I lifted weights, tried doing the crossword puzzle in the newspaper, I even watched a program on the Discovery Channel. But, being a guy and all, it was difficult for me to push sex out of my head.

**Syd's POV**

Francie and I woke up extra early on Saturday morning so we could go shopping. Since this French place was fancy, I needed an appropriate dress for tonight. Knowing how crowded the mall would be on the weekend, we were out of the house by 10am.

"Ok, so what exactly are we looking for Syd?" Fran asked me as we walked into Bebe's.

"I don't know. Simple, but sexy."

"What place are you going to again?"

"Fleur De Lys. I heard the food there is fantastic." I replied.

Reaching a rack full of dresses, Francie and I thumbed through them quickly. Nothing looked to be anything I would wear so we decided to try the next shop.

"So I think tonight could be the night for Vaughn and I." I said while we exited the store.

"It's about time Syd! I'm surprised you two aren't going at it by now."

"Well, we were trying to take things slow and not rush into anything. Plus, Vaughn is the first guy I'm going to be with and I want to make sure everything is perfect."

"Really? You've never been with a guy?" A twinge of surprise was evident in Francie's voice.

"Nope."

"I think that's really sweet Syd. I'm glad that you've waited this long."

Francie and I hit up a few more stores, but were unsuccessful in finding the kind of dress I wanted. While trying on a few dresses, nothing seemed to look right or fit right. I felt uncomfortable in most of the dresses I tried on and I definitely did not want to be uncomfortable during dinner.

We walked into Nordstrom's last as we were both tired from shopping. We were in the mall for nearly three hours trying on every possible dress.

While looking through a couple or racks, I heard Francie call for me from around the corner. Taking a turn around the corner, I found her holding up a gorgeous black dress. I grabbed it immediately and made my way to the dressing room.

I prayed that this dress fit because it was exactly what I was looking for. The dress was strapless, with a thin, satin, black ribbon going around the top. It fell slightly passed my knees with different angled cuts at the bottom.

Letting out a deep breath, I walked out of the dressing room to show Francie.

"Oh my god, Syd, you look beautiful!" She said, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"Really? I think I need to borrow that padded bra again."

"It's absolutely perfect. Michael is going to have a hard time keeping his hands off of you tonight."

"Well, that's the plan!" I said over my shoulder as I walked back into the dressing room.

Finally being able to exit the mall, I carefully put my dress in the back seat of Francie's car and buckled up.

"Oh wait, I forgot!" A sudden thought came to my mind and I was a tad embarrassed to ask Francie about it.

"What? What did you forget?"

"Umm, do I need to pick up… you know… protection?" I found that using the word condom was way too weird for me still.

"Oh, right. I have some in my bathroom. You can use them considering I'm not going to be able for awhile."

"I'm sure Weiss thinks otherwise." I froze after realizing what I just said. I wasn't supposed to let that information out. Cringing, I hope Francie didn't hear what I said.

"What did you just say?" She looked over at my seriously.

"Ok Francie, please don't tell him I told you. But, Weiss has a crush on you."

"Seriously? I'm supposed to hang out with him tonight. I don't know what to say…"

"How do you feel about him?" I asked.

"He's a really sweet guy, but I don't know if I'm ready to start things with anyone right now. But, maybe in the future when I'm fully over Will."

"Yeah, I understand. At least you know now and it's not going to be a surprise if he spits it out at you." We both laughed knowing Weiss would probably pull something like that.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Ok, tie or no tie?" I asked Weiss while walking into his room.

I held up the dark blue tie that matched perfectly with the dress shirt I had on. Of course I almost tripped on the 8 pairs of shoes lying on the floor when I entered.

"No tie." He responded without looking up from his computer.

"Weiss, look at me. I need your honest opinion."

"I said no tie. A tie will make you look like you're going to a business meeting." He said looking up.

"Good point. Thanks."

I was so excited to pick up Syd that I almost forgot to bring my wallet. Now that would've been disastrous. Taking one last look at myself in the mirror, I decided to ask Weiss one more time for his opinion.

"Alright, how do I look?" I questioned.

"I hate you." I looked at Weiss slightly confused. What kind of answer was that?

"What? Why do you hate me?"

"Because, this might sound really gay of me, but coming from a very straight guy, you look good. And that's why I hate you."

"Really? I mean, I think the tie looked…" Weiss cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

"Ok now you're just worrying like a girl. Get the hell out of here and have a good time." He said as he pushed me out the front door. "Oh and pick me up some éclairs. If they're small I want at least two."

The smell of fresh roses filled up my car as I drove to Syd's place. I picked up a dozen red roses from the little market around the corner from my street. I knew how much Syd loved roses and wanted to start the evening off right.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on her door.

"I'll be right there!" Syd yelled while I could hear her footsteps pounding lightly from behind the door.

When she finally opened up, the sight before me left me breathless. Syd looked so stunningly gorgeous that my breath hitched in my throat and my heart did flip-flops.

She was clad in this strapless, black dress that was hung slightly passed her knees and hugged her body in all the right places. A simple, silver pendant hung from her neck and her face had the minimal amount of makeup. Aside from the lip-gloss and mascara, there was no makeup to hide that beautiful face of hers. Her hair was curled and pulled up neatly, with a couple of strands hanging down the sides of her face.

"Sydney, you look… amazing." Stepping forward, I planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"You don't look bad yourself Vaughn. Let me grab a sweater and we'll be out of here."

We said a quick goodbye to Francie and made our way to the restaurant. The restaurant proved to be just as beautiful as it sounded. The walls were painted in a deep red with each table widely spread apart. The lights were lit low, and each table had two candles sitting on the top of a clean, white tablecloth. They even had a live pianist softly playing in the corner. There was a definite romantic and intimate glow to the restaurant.

Halfway through the dinner my leg was able to stop jittering. It was a good thing I listened to Weiss' advice on not wearing a tie. I would've been tugging at it all night. It was an annoying habit that I had when I felt nervous.

The evening was turning out exactly the way I planned with the delicious food and the live music. Syd and I shared stolen kisses and longing stares throughout our whole meal. Not a lot of words were spoken as both of us felt that words weren't needed to express the way we were feeling.

Syd practically squealed when we were finally ready for dessert.

"We'll have a big slice of the chocolate cake to share, please." She said to the waiter without hesitating.

"Vaughn, this place is incredible. I can't thank you enough for bringing me here tonight. Everything has been perfect." Reaching across the table, her right hand became laced with mine.

"I'm glad you're having a good time. I was nervous as hell you know."

"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah, I asked Weiss like a million times if I looked ok. He had to push me out of the apartment." We both let out a chuckle.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, I accidentally told Francie that Weiss likes her."

"I'm sure she would've figured it out eventually. The guy wears his heart on his sleeve. I wonder how things are going with them right now."

Before Syd could answer, the waiter brought the chocolate cake and two forks to the table. Every time Syd took a bite out of the cake a small moan escaped from her lips. I didn't think I fully understood how much she loved chocolate until tonight.

We both downed the cake without a flinch and before I knew it, I was signing the bill. We made our way out of the restaurant with my arm securely wrapped around her shoulders.

While waiting for the valet to pick up the car, Syd and I stood at the edge of the sidewalk with her arms wrapped around my body under my jacket. Her warm hands were running endless patterns on my lower back as bliss took over me.

Placing a kiss on the top of her forehead, I took a look down at her.

"You ready to do this?" I asked.

"I've been ready." She replied with a big, dimpled smile.

I took a hold of her hand and started to lead her towards the car when someone called her name from behind.

"Sydney? Is that you?" It was a voice that I haven't heard in two years. Without even turning around, I already knew who it was.

"Danny?"

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	21. Chapter 21

_Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews! Here's an update... you're probably going to want to kill me after this, but I promise it gets better! I also promise that I will update this by the end of this week. Most likely after Alias cause I kinda get on a high after watching on Wednesday nights. So here it is and I once again am sorry..._

Chapter 21.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Danny?" Syd shrieked out. "Oh my god Danny! How are you?" The two swiftly walked towards each other and embraced.

You have got to be kidding me, I thought to myself. Why? Out of all the possible ways to bump into Danny again after two years, we see him on the night of Syd and mine's romantic anniversary date. How is that possible? Someone up there in the sky does not want me to have sex with my girlfriend… ever.

I sat there gritting my teeth watching my girlfriend reunite with her ex-boyfriend while he kept touching her where only my hands were supposed to be. I almost fainted when I saw him press a light kiss on her cheek.

"What are you doing here in San Francisco?" Syd asked after finally pulling away from his embrace.

"I'm going to UCSF now. These are my friends John and Kyle." He pointed to a couple of friends next to him while. "We were just about to head off towards this club down the street. Do you live here now?"

"Wow, Danny. UCSF is one of the top medical schools in the country. Congratulations! That is so huge!"

"Thanks!"

"Yeah, I'm going to San Francisco State now. I have an apartment about 10 minutes away from the campus. I'm going there with Vaughn." She answered.

Finally I was acknowledged. I was standing there off to the side thinking I was invisible. Grabbing me by the arm, Syd pulled me towards Danny.

"Hey… Michael, I didn't recognize you over there. How are you?" He asked.

"I've been alright. Syd and I were just enjoying a romantic night out." I emphasized romantic hoping he would get the point.

"Oh, so you guys an item now?" A hint of surprise was evident in his voice as I inwardly celebrated.

"Yeah, we've been going out for a month now. It's been the best month of my life." I swung my arm around Syd's waist and pulled her close.

I could tell Danny became very uncomfortable standing there. Shoving his hands in his pocket, he kept looking back and forth at Syd and I. I guess he was trying to take in that she was my girlfriend now. Yeah, that's right Danny. She's my girlfriend. Sydney was my girlfriend.

"I see. Listen, the guys and I have to get going but let me give you my number Syd. You know, in case you want to hang out sometime."

Pulling out a pen, he took an old receipt from his wallet and scribbled down his number. Again I felt ignored. He was practically asking out Syd in front of me. It took all of my strength not to grab the little scrap of paper and rip it into a million pieces.

"Ok, thanks. Good seeing you Danny. I'll give you a call sometime." Syd said cheerfully as we watched Danny and his friends walk away.

Walking back to the car, I climbed in then slammed the door shut. Thank you Daniel Hecht for killing the mood of the night. Everything was going perfectly until he showed up. Seriously, we haven't seen the dude in two years and then he suddenly reappears. Plus, not only did we just bump into him, he's living in the same city we are!

The car ride home was silent as I gripped the steering wheel so hard that my knuckles were turning white. Neither of us knew what to say or how to react. If anything were to come out of my mouth at that moment it would've been a string of all the cuss words that I could think of in the English and French language.

"Vaughn, are you ok?" Syd asked, shifting in her seat to look at me.

"Just dandy." I answered sarcastically.

"Ok, obviously something is bothering you now spit it out."

"Spit out what? That I'm thrilled to see that your ex-boyfriend is back and giving you his number? Yeah Syd, I am ecstatic."

"I haven't seen or talked to Danny in two years. Vaughn, I was excited to see him. What, are you jealous?"

"Syd… I had to go through a couple years of high school watching him hug, kiss and hold you and I couldn't do anything about it. Do you know how hard it was for me to be around you guys knowing that you had no idea how I felt about you? So sorry for feeling a little angry about seeing him again." It was true. Seeing Danny again brought out all of those I used to have seeing him with her.

"That was in the past, Vaughn. We were only kids back then."

"Do you still have feelings for him?" I spit out without even thinking.

"What? Are you serious?"

"Answer the question Sydney."

"I don't know! Why should it matter? I'm with you now."

"Because it does matter. Now answer my question. Do you still have feelings for Danny?"

By that time, we just pulled into Syd's apartment complex. Turning off the engine, I turned in my seat to face her. She was still sitting there silent and staring at her hands.

"Syd, look at me. This means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me. I need you to tell me the truth."

"He was my first boyfriend, Vaughn. Of course I'll always have feelings for him. And truthfully, tonight when I saw him, sure it stirred up some feelings from the past. But, you're my boyfriend now. I chose you."

I nodded my head silently, not really knowing what to think.

"C'mon. Let's go inside and I'll make us some tea." She was about to open the door when I pulled her back.

"Actually, I'm kinda tired right now. I should probably head back to my apartment. I'll call you tomorrow, ok?" A stunned look came to Syd's face before she answered.

"Oh… ok… good night."

**Syd's POV**

Waking up the next morning, I felt empty and cold. Empty from having a fight with Vaughn and cold from not having his warm body next to mine in the bed.

I guess part of me understood what Vaughn was getting at, but the other part of me didn't. I didn't know how bad he felt when Danny and I were going out and he was suffering while watching us. I thought Vaughn would be fine about seeing Danny again since he and I have grown so close. I really didn't think he would react the way he did.

I couldn't have been more disappointed with the way the night ended. Vaughn and I didn't even get to sleep with each other for the first time. Plus, things ended badly. I knew he was mad when he didn't call me to say goodnight. Every night that we've spent apart since we started dating, he would call me to say goodnight and tell me to have sweet dreams.

I knew it was bad when I didn't get a phone call last night or didn't have any messages on my cell phone this morning. It left me with a horrible feeling.

I couldn't lie though. I was happy to see Danny after all of that time apart from him. It was really good to see that he was doing well. I wanted nothing but the best for him after we broke up.

Hearing Francie mulling around in the kitchen, I strapped on my robe and made my way out of my room.

"Hey Syd. How are you feeling? I heard things didn't go too smoothly?" Fran asked while pouring herself a glass of milk.

"Everything was going perfect and we were just about to leave the restaurant when I ran into my ex-boyfriend." I explained.

"Oh, that would explain why Vaughn came in the door last night throwing stuff and mumbling something about some dude named Danny."

"Was he really mad? Is he ok?"

"I think so. What happened? Why is he so angry?" Taking a set on one of the stools, I grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl and started to peel it.

"He started freaking out on me in the car asking me if I still had feelings for Danny."

"Well, do you?" She questioned.

"He was my first serious boyfriend so yeah, I'll always have some sort of feelings for him. But, I love Vaughn. He's the one I want to be with. I guess he just got jealous last night and didn't want to spend the night with me."

"You need to tell him that Syd. He needs to be reassured that you're not going to get back with your ex because I think he's scared."

I took in Francie's advice and decided that she was right. First, I needed to settle things with Danny though. I needed to properly end communication with him so he would know that I wanted to be with Vaughn.

After showering and cleaning up, I called Danny and asked him to come over in the afternoon. I didn't know how he felt about me since we didn't get to talk much the night before, but I wanted to let him know that I have moved on.

Vaughn still hadn't called me and I was starting to worry. I really wanted to talk to him and hear his voice. I promised myself that I would go right to his place after meeting with Danny.

Right before he called to tell me that he was coming over, Fran informed me that she wanted to give us some privacy and that she would be over at the library to study.

When Danny finally arrived, we quickly hugged and made our way over to the couch.

"So, what's up Syd?" He asked. "I'm really glad you called. I was hoping we could go catch a movie or dinner some time this week. We have quite a bit to catch up on."

"Actually, I called because I needed to talk to you about something. I know that it's really good to see you and all, but I don't think I can see you anymore." I explained.

"What? Why?"

"Because Vaughn's my boyfriend now Danny. I really don't know how you feel about me, but things can't go any further. I love Vaughn and I want to be with him. I think seeing you last night freaked him out a little."

"I see. After seeing you last night, I was hoping that we could maybe start things up again. I couldn't believe you were here. I mean, out of all the places in the world that we could be we ended up living in the same city? But, when Michael announced you two were together now, I couldn't help but feel bad."

"I'm sorry Danny. I wanted to tell you this in person because it is important and I didn't want to do it over the phone. But, he's everything to me and I don't want to lose him."

**Vaughn's POV**

I took out my anger and frustration by going to the gym and beating the crap out of the punching bag the next morning. I kept imagining Danny's face and wanting to punch it in. I know the guy didn't personally do anything to me, but I envied him.

I'm sure I scared the living day lights out of Weiss and Francie when I walked in last night, but I didn't have the patience to explain to them what I was doing home.

I did act like a jerk to Syd last night, but I really couldn't help it. My anger got the best of me and I just wanted to be alone. I couldn't deal with the fact that my girlfriend could possibly still have feelings for her ex.

When I got home after the gym, Weiss was sitting on the couch reading the paper.

"What the hell happened last night Mike? Are you ok?" He asked concerned.

"No, everything was ruined when we ran into Syd's ex-boyfriend."

"No way! Seriously, you have the worst luck in the world. You finally get to do it with your girlfriend and you run into her ex-boyfriend? What are the chances of that? That's like 1 in a million. Dude, that sucks." He replied.

"You should've seen the way he was looking at her. It was like being in high school all over again. Seeing him made my stomach turn." Gripping my fists hard again, I felt like going back to the gym to hit something.

"I get the feeling you don't like this guy at all." Weiss replied.

"I don't. And to top it all off, Danny gave Syd his number and told her to call him. He did it right in front of me like I wasn't even standing there!"

"What an ass! What did Sydney say?"

"She really didn't say much. I asked her if she still had feelings for him and she said she didn't know. I was so mad after hearing that, that I dropped her off and came home."

Weiss patted me on the back a few times to show his sympathy. Groaning again in frustration, I put my head back to rest against the top of the couch. Not talking to Sydney was killing me. But, after what I pulled the night before, I doubt she wanted to talk to me.

For a couple of hours, I wouldn't move off of the couch. I kept lying there, destroying my brain cells by watching useless television programs. I was so distraught, I found myself watching Newlyweds.

I secretly kept hoping that my cell phone would ring and it would be Syd calling me to tell me that she wanted to see me or talk to me. I was being stubborn and knew I should be the one calling to apologize. But, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Weiss couldn't take anymore of me moping around and motioned for me to sit up so he could take a seat with me on the couch.

"I can see the misery this girl is putting you through." He said as opened up a bottle of beer and handed it to me.

"She makes me the happiest guy in the world. It's my fault we're not talking Weiss. I acted like an immature, jealous jerk last night."

"No, you acted like any other guy would if he felt threatened by an ex."

"Yeah, but there was no excuse for my behavior. I shouldn't have pushed Sydney away like that." I explained.

"So go see her."

"What?" I asked surprised.

"Go see her and told me everything you just said. All of this isn't a big deal. So you guys had your first fight. It's about damn time this relationship gets interesting anyways."

"Are you sure?" Still being a bit skeptical, I thought it out for a minute or two.

"Yes. I'm dead serious. Apologize and tell her you love her. And when you get back, give me a hug cause I guarantee you she'll not only forgive you, but you two will do what you were supposed to do last night."

Standing up, I ran a hand through my messy hair. Weiss was right. I needed to go see her and apologize.

"Should I call first?" I questioned.

"No. Don't call. Pick up some flowers on the way and surprise her. Girls like to be surprised."

In less than no time, I was out the door and on my way to Syd's place.

**Syd's POV**

An awkward silence came over Danny and I as we continued to sit on the couch not looking at each other in the eye. I had a feeling this isn't what he was expecting when I called him to come over.

"Well, I can't say that I'm surprised." He finally said, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You and Michael Vaughn. What, you guys have been best friends for how long now?"

"Ummm, since we were around 6 I guess." I replied.

"Yes, well I could see that he had feelings for you even when we were together. I guess it was just a matter of time, right?"

Glancing down at my hands, I continued to wonder how I never saw any signs. How could I have been so blind to Vaughn?

"Ok Sydney. I better get going now. But thanks for having me over."

Danny walked to the door with me closely following behind. I felt good about what was said and the understanding that we reached. Now that I ended things fully with Danny, Vaughn and mine's relationship could continue to grow stronger.

I was about to hug Danny one last final time, when he put his hand up to stop me.

"It was good seeing you Danny. Take care of yourself."

"Wait, I just have to have one final kiss." He said quickly and captured his lips with mine.

I was shocked at first. So shocked I didn't know what to do. I couldn't even push him off of me because my body froze up.

Finally breaking apart, I stood there agape, not really knowing what to say. That was, until I looked to my left and saw Vaughn standing there with flowers in his left hand. Before I could say anything, he threw down the flowers and dashed down the stairs.

"Vaughn! No wait!" I screamed when I ran outside to catch him. But, he was already gone.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	22. Chapter 22

_Hello all. I know you guys have been waiting for this chapter so here it is! I'm dedicating it to all of you who have been reviewing religiously and encouraging me to continue with this fic. I couldn't have done any of this without you. Enjoy this chap because I had a great time writing it!_

Chapter 22.

**Syd's POV**

"Vaughn! No wait!" I screamed when I ran outside to catch him. But, he was already gone.

Running back upstairs, Danny stood there speechless.

"Get out of my way. I'm going after him. Thanks to you, I might have just lost Vaughn forever." I yelled.

Shoving him out of the way, I swiftly grabbed my car keys and sped after Vaughn. Tears streamed down my face as the look on his face was permanently imprinted in my mind. All I could see was the horror and hurt in his eyes when he saw Danny and I.

I needed to get to him. I needed to explain that what he saw was a mistake. But most of all, I needed him to know that I love him. Danny was in the past and I no longer want anything to do with him.

After dialing his apartment phone, Weiss informed me that he hadn't spoken or seen Vaughn since he left to go see me. Frantically calling his number, his voicemail would come on every time I repeated my actions.

I drove everywhere looking for Vaughn. I went to the beach, the park where he plays basketball, pier 39, and even the parking garage at school. If he went back to campus then his car would be parked in the garage. But, there were no signs of him anywhere.

Tired and frustrated, I drove to his place hoping that he finally went home. I couldn't think of any more places he could've gone to and if I did find him, it was obvious he didn't want to see me right now.

Walking into Vaughn's apartment, I took a seat on the couch and dropped my head into my hands. Loud sobs escaped from my mouth as I realized that everything was my fault. Francie and Weiss immediately joined me on the couch, curious as to what the hell was going on.

"Syd? Sydney talk to me? What happened?" Francie said softly while trying to get me to look up at her.

"He's not here, is he?" I choked out.

"No, he still hasn't come back." Weiss answered.

"He saw me. He stood on the top of the stairs and saw me kissing Danny. I tried to go after him, but it was too late. I screwed this up… he's never going to forgive me for this." I explained.

"What? You were cheating on Michael?" Francie asked.

"No! I told you I was inviting Danny over to tell him that I didn't want to see him anymore and that I've moved on with Vaughn. When I told him, he said he was fine with it. But, when I was walking him out, all of a sudden he just forced a kiss on me and I was so stunned that I couldn't even move. When I pulled away, I saw Vaughn standing on the stairs. He witnessed everything."

Weiss came over handing me a box of Kleenex as the tears continued to flow freely.

"He's going to understand Syd. Really. When he comes back, you just need to tell him it was a mistake." Weiss told me.

"But, what if he doesn't understand?"

"He will. He was going over there to tell you that he was sorry for the way that he acted and that he loved you." Sitting back down on the couch, Weiss forced me to look up at him. "He loves you Sydney. I know he does. He's told me a thousand times already. You're going to get through this, ok? If you want, I can try and go find him."

Slowly nodding my head, Weiss got up from the couch and grabbed my car keys from my hand.

"Alright, I'll be back. Don't you worry, I'll bring him home." He said as he closed the front door.

I was able to stop crying for a while, but the horrible feeling in my stomach would not go away. I continued to sit there with a blank expression on my face. Not wanting to speak to Francie anymore, I closed my eyes and pretended like I was asleep.

When I couldn't force my eyes closed anymore, Francie kept pestering me to eat something. I refused. If I were to eat anything, I would've just thrown it up anyways. I didn't want to eat. I didn't want to talk to anyone and I didn't want to be comforted. All I wanted was to see Vaughn again.

**Vaughn's POV**

My stomach turned after seeing Syd and Danny just talking last night. Think about how it felt when I saw them kissing in her hallway. When I walked up the stairs, all I could see was their eyes closed and his lips on hers.

The knot in my throat became so tight that I couldn't even yell out at them. Instead, I dropped the flowers from my hand and sprinted out of there. I couldn't see them. I couldn't face that fact that the love my life was going to leave me for her ex-boyfriend.

Driving around aimlessly, I didn't want to stop. I feared that if I stopped, someone would come find me. I didn't want anyone to find me right now. I felt humiliated. I was being stupid for believing that things between Syd and I would work out. She's always just thought of me as her best friend and it should've stayed that way.

Pulling up to Ft. Miley, I got out of my car and made my way down the long, dirt path with a six-pack of beer in my hand. I found this place when I first moved up to San Francisco and got lost driving home. Ft. Miley was this little area that sat on top of a hill with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

It was my secret place that no one knew about. The sky was just getting dark and the fog was slowly creeping in, creating a misty environment. It was perfect for my mood. It was dark, depressing, and lonely.

Taking a seat on the dirty ground, I popped open the first can of beer. I planned on sitting here until I was out of beer and getting myself as drunk as possible. Immediately, I regretted picking up only one six-pack. I decided that this wasn't going to be enough. I thought that maybe alcohol would numb all the pain and make me forget everything in the past three hours.

The bitter taste of beer filled my mouth as I downed the first can in three gulps. Tossing it to the side, I grabbed for the second can. God, how sad am I, I thought. Sitting here, drinking away my sorrows and mourning over the loss of my girlfriend. Well, I guess I lost her. I lost her to another guy.

What's so good about Danny anyways? Ok, so he's in medical school. Big deal. I'm pre-law… sort of. So, I'm not really pre-law. I think that's what I want to do. That's what it is. Maybe Syd is attracted to him because Danny is driven and knows exactly what he wants to do.

I continued to sit there thinking of all the possible things that would make Syd go back to Danny until I realized that I was just torturing myself.

I was on my last can of beer when my phone started ringing again for the 50th time that night. I was tempted to throw my cell phone into the bay when I took a glance at the caller ID and realized it was Weiss. He was the only one I actually wanted to talk to at the time.

"Hello?"

"Dude! Mike! Where the hell are you? I've spent the last three hours looking for you!" He yelled into the phone frantically.

"I'm up near Ft. Miley. I came here to think." I responded.

"Well, you need to get your ass back to the apartment. All of us have been worried sick about you! Syd's been sitting here crying for hours. It's nearly 2 in the morning Mike. You need to come home."

"I don't want to see Syd right now, Weiss. I can't even look at her. She cheated on me with that asshole! I don't know if I can ever forgive her." I explained.

"First of all, she wasn't cheating on you. She explained it to all of us. She invited Danny over to her apartment to tell him that she can't see him anymore. When he was leaving, he tried to kiss her and she was so stunned that she didn't pull away."

"I'm supposed to believe that?"

"She loves you Vaughn. Did you hear me? She loves you. At least come home and let her tell you herself. Ok?"

I let Weiss' information sink in before answering.

"Alright, I'll be right there."

**Syd's POV**

I must've dozed off for a while, because the next thing I knew it was almost 2:30 in the morning and a blanket was draped over my body. Slowly sitting up off of the couch, I heard the front door opening. Assuming it was Weiss, I laid back down on the couch hoping to get a couple more hours of sleep.

Just then, the light turned on causing my eyes to burn. Squinting, I turned my head towards the door to see who was there.

"Vaughn?" I squeaked out.

Immediately, I jumped off of the couch and ran towards him. Wrapping my arms tightly around his neck, I breathed in his familiar scent.

"Have you been drinking?" I asked, pulling away slightly.

"C'mon, let's go to my room." He whispered.

Taking a hold of my hand, he turned off the light and led me into his room. We both took a seat at the edge of the bed as I brought my hand up to his face. Lightly stroking my fingers around his cheek and jaw, I was the one to speak first.

"Let me explain what happened, ok?" I said quietly.

Vaughn just slowly nodded and continued to sit there with his hands tightly clasped together.

"What you saw was a mistake. I called Danny this morning and told him to come over so I could talk to him. When he came over, I told him that I couldn't see or talk to him anymore. After seeing how upset you were last night, I wanted to make sure that you would never have to feel that way again. Danny seemed to take it well. It felt so good to finally have closure and end things with him. But, when I was walking him out the door, he said he had to have one last kiss and quickly leaned in. I froze up so badly that I didn't even push him off. I'm so sorry Vaughn. I'm so sorry that you had to see that. I don't know if this means anything to you, but for that split second after I kissed Danny, I was actually glad that he did it. Because it made me realize that I no longer had feelings for him. I felt nothing when I kissed him. Then, I saw you on the stairs. I saw the look in your eyes and it broke my heart." The tears once again sprung up to my eyes as I tried to make Vaughn understand.

"I know Syd. Weiss called me a little while ago and explained everything. He coaxed me back into coming home." He explained.

"I see. I'm glad you picked up your phone. You wouldn't answer any of my calls."

"I know. I just didn't want to talk to you at the time. I didn't know the whole truth as to what happened and just assumed that you were getting back together with Danny."

"No! I would never do that Vaughn!" I said as I took his hands in mine.

"When I saw you guys kissing, my heart broke into a million pieces Syd. I spent those hours by myself just replaying what I saw in my mind. I kept telling myself that you were getting back with Danny because I wasn't good enough for you. It was killing me inside because I thought that I couldn't give you what you needed. That's why I started drinking. Somehow I figured that if I drank enough, it would wash away all of my misery. That somehow I would forget everything."

"I'm so sorry for all of the pain that I caused you Vaughn. I never meant to hurt you." I said apologetically.

"I'm sorry for acting like a jerk last night." He responded.

"No, you don't have to be sorry for that. It was my fault for not telling you that I was fully over Danny."

Taking my hands out of his, I brought them up to cup his face. The stubble from his chin tickled the palms of my hands while I searched for his eyes.

"I love you Michael. After everything that we have been through in the past month, with the fight with my dad, the accident, Danny… I've come to realize how much I need you. You're my best friend. I can't go through anything without knowing you're by my side. I love you so much."

"I love you too Syd. I always have." Vaughn responded while a single tear dropped from his eye.

Wiping the tear away with my thumb, I slowly leaned in and kissed his lips softly. The bitter taste of beer was apparent on his lips, but I didn't care. I needed him.

Our kiss soon turned more passionate as I scooted myself closer to Vaughn and grabbed at the back of his head, pulling him as close as possible. Bringing his mouth down to my neck, he started placing kisses on the sensitive spot behind my ear.

Pushing me back against the bed, Vaughn came to lie on top of me. I brought my hands down to the bottom of his back, feeling the strong muscles right above the top of his jeans.

Slipping my hands under hit shirt, I swiftly pulled it over his head, wanting to feel his bare skin under my hands. I rubbed my hands up and down his bare chest and felt at heaven when Vaughn started lightly kissing my throat.

He continued his path around my neck and throat while I entangled my hands in his hair, encouraging him to go on. Suddenly, he sat up and motioned for me to do the same. Right before he went to pull off my t-shirt, Vaughn looked deeply into my eyes and I knew what he was silently asking.

"No, I don't want to stop. Make love to me Vaughn." I whispered.

**Vaughn's POV**

We were wrapped up in each other's arms, limbs entangled, and blissful smiles on our faces as we lay there wide awake. Both of us were dead tired from the emotion spent on the previous couple of days. But, neither of us wanted to close our eyes and ruin one of the best moments of our lives.

"Wow." Was the only word that could escape from my lips.

"I know." Syd answered, pulling my body closer to her.

"If I knew we were missing out on that the whole time, I would've gotten in a big fight with you a long time ago." Laughing, she playfully hit me on my chest. "C'mon, let's do that again."

"Vaughn, you do know it's 4:25 in the morning and we actually have classes tomorrow."

"We do? Let's skip a day of classes and do something fun." I said as Syd laid her head down in the crook of my neck.

"Yeah, what's your idea of fun?" She asked.

"I dunno… We could go over to your place and try this out in your bed."

"Vaughn!" Syd yelled a little too loudly. "Now that we've done it are you always going to be like this?"

"No. I'm just kidding."

Placing both of my arms around her body, I brought the blankets up around her bare shoulders. It was the most wonderful feeling, lying with Syd in bed after we made love for the first time. Words couldn't even explain how amazing that experience really was.

"So, are we really cutting our classes tomorrow?" Syd asked.

"Yep, I'm sure as hell not going."

"Good. Maybe Francie and Weiss will cut with us. I know they were pretty worried about you too."

"Yeah, I'll apologize to them in the morning. Wait, where are they?" I questioned realizing that I didn't see Francie or Weiss when I walked in the door.

"She's sleeping on the air mattress in Weiss' room." She answered.

I could feel my eyelids getting heavy while I struggled to keep them open. But, the harder I fought, the more tired I would get. Feeling Syd's breathing against my neck leveling out, I could tell that she was drifting off too.

Planting one final kiss on her forehead, I whispered into her ear.

"Goodnight Syd… I love you."

"I love you too Vaughn."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	23. Chapter 23

_Hey all! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter... Also, this chap is dedicated to **soccerfreeek324 **because she dedicated her last chapter of her fic to me and I want her to update again. :)_

Chapter 23.

**Syd's POV**

I awoke the next morning, head resting on Vaughn's chest, taking in everything that had happened the night before. I couldn't have asked for the most perfect night. Well, ok it wasn't that perfect. Vaughn went missing for a while cause he saw Danny and I kissing, but everything after that was wonderful.

The best part was that it felt so right. Being with Vaughn for the first time and knowing how much we loved each other gave us an unbelievable comforting feeling. I always figured that it would be awkward and I'd be nervous the first time.

The pounding on Vaughn's door is what brought him out of his deep slumber and me out of my daydream.

"Hey Syd? Vaughn? Are you in there?" Weiss yelled out.

"Yeah, we're in here." I answered

"Can we come in?" Francie asked.

"No!" Vaughn said groggily as he rubbed his eyes.

"Why not?" They both questioned.

"Because we're naked." I laughed into Vaughn's chest thinking about the expressions of both of their faces from behind the door.

"Well, cover up, we're coming in." Weiss shouted.

Suddenly, the door swung open and I reached down to bring the sheet up to my shoulders.

"Hey love birds! Don't you want to get up soon? We have classes today." Weiss said, shaking Vaughn to wake him up.

"It's too early… we just got two hours of sleep. Get away from me Weiss."

"So I assume everything is ok between you two?" Fran asked as she walked over to my side of the bed and took a seat.

"Yep, everything is great." Looking up at Vaughn, I planted a soft kiss on his lips.

The only thing coming from Francie's mouth was a string of, "Awww's." while Weiss groaned and rolled his eyes. He also mumbled something about the only one not getting any action now.

"Vaughn and I aren't going to school today. You guys want to cut with us?" I asked.

"Nah, I only have one class today at 9 so I might as well go. Weiss, what about you?"

"Nope, me too. Only one class today."

"You guys suck." Vaughn groaned.

"Alright, we'll get out of here and let you guys get back to sleep. We'll be back later. You guys want to get some lunch later on?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, if we get out of bed." I answered laughing.

The next time I awoke it was 12:25 and Vaughn was already out of the bed. Hearing the shower going, I threw on some clothes and made my way in to the bathroom. Vaughn immediately poked his head out from behind the shower curtain and gave me a big smile.

"Good morning." I said cheerfully, reaching for my toothbrush.

"More like good afternoon. You wanna join me in here, beautiful?" He asked.

"No, I'm good."

"You sure? There's plenty of room for two." Walking over, I grabbed Vaughn from the back of his head and pulled him in for a long, heated kiss.

"Mmmm, I hope that's a yes." He moaned.

"No. It's more of an incentive for you to get your ass out of the shower so we can get some lunch. I'm starving."

"Ughh, Syd! You're killing me! You can't just kiss me like that and then walk away." He groaned as he closed the shower curtain.

"You'll live!" I shouted while I walked out of the bathroom.

We decided to meet up with Francie and Weiss for lunch at the little burger place down the street from Fran and mine's apartment. The whole time Weiss kept drilling us for information on what happened the night before while Francie would hit him in the shoulder and tell him to leave us alone.

Vaughn and I sat there, smiling at each other knowing that we were the only two people on earth who knew the private little details. I knew I'd spill it out to Francie sooner or later, but for the time being, I liked that it stayed in between Vaughn and me.

Over the next few nights, I became exceedingly comfortable with the living arrangements. I, of course stayed with Vaughn while Francie started to spend all of her nights at the guy's apartment too. She would pull out the bed from the couch or sleep on the air mattress in Weiss' room. Somehow all of us grew to like living with each other. It made me wonder if we were wasting money on paying rent for our apartment.

**Vaughn's POV**

On Thursday morning, Weiss and I decided to go for a run on the track. We didn't even run half a mile before Weiss pulled me by my t-shirt and said we had to stop. I think I ran a whole lap with his lazy ass latched on to my shoulder telling me he couldn't run anymore.

"C'mon Weiss. We haven't even ran a mile yet. How do you expect to lose weight if you don't even exercise?" I asked still jogging slowly while he walked next to me.

"I exercise! I take the stairs to our apartment instead of taking the elevator."

"Dude, we live on the second floor." I responded.

"Yeah so… every little bit helps."

We were able to run a couple more laps before Weiss declared that he really couldn't take it anymore and collapsed on the bleachers.

"Ok, obviously me trying to motivate you to lose a few pounds isn't working. You know if Francie was the one telling you, you'd stop eating." Letting out a sarcastic sigh, Weiss rolled his eyes.

"Speaking of Francie, I think she's starting to like me now. What do you think?" He asked.

"What? Why do you think she's starting to like you?"

"Dude, Mike, she's been spending every night at our apartment for the last week."

"That's cause she doesn't like sleeping by herself at her apartment." I explained.

"What? No way!"

"Yes way. She told Syd and I the other day that she's too scared to sleep at her apartment alone anymore cause she keeps hearing things."

"You really do know how to deflate a guy's confidence." Weiss said, slapping me in the back.

Taking a swig from my water bottle, I threw it down and started running up and down the bleachers. Meanwhile, Weiss continued to lie there looking like he was catching some rays on the beach.

"Ok, don't do that anymore Mike. You're making me look bad." He said as soon as I finished. "So now that the girls aren't around. Why don't you tell me how things were with Syd after the big fight."

"I already told you I'm not going to tell you anything!"

"Oh, C'mon! Do I get one little detail? I'm your best friend and roommate after all."

Chucking my empty water bottle at him I yelled, "No!"

When we got back to the apartment, we found Syd and Francie painting their toenails in the family room. About thirty different colors of toenail polishes were spread out all over the coffee table. If I didn't think Syd's feet looked sexy when she had her toenails painted, then I probably would've went nuts.

Walking in, Weiss made a comment about how they're going to turn in our bachelor pad into a salon. I kindly reminded him that our apartment was never a bachelor pad. There was nothing masculine about it except for the stack of ESPN magazines on the coffee table and Eric's Playboys stashed under the couch.

Having Syd around all the time was the absolute best. I really couldn't get enough of her. But, it also made it that much harder to concentrate on my schoolwork. I wouldn't even concentrate in class anymore because all my thoughts were focused on her and counting down the minutes till I could see her again.

Just the other night, I was on my bed attempting to catch up on my reading for government when she was lying next to me and started to blow air into my ear. I had no intention on ignoring her. But, with finals coming up the next week, I really needed to get my reading done.

It nearly drove me insane what she was doing. She kept whispering in my ear and playing with the hair on the nape of my neck. After twenty minutes of trying not to give into the distractions, I threw my 600-page government book off of the bed and said, "Screw it."

Syd was joking around with me saying I was the one always wanting to get into bed. She was just as bad. She knows exactly how to tempt me and uses it to her advantage. I, on the other hand, know she doesn't have many weaknesses.

For sure I thought the shirtless push-ups would work on her, but yesterday morning she just stepped over me and went into the kitchen. My ego was slightly shattered when she didn't even take a second glance.

**Syd's POV**

Late on Tuesday afternoon, the four of us took a trip to the library to study for our up coming Chemistry final. All of us were dreading it terribly. Especially me since I hadn't been doing so well on the previous quizzes even though I was trying my best.

Despite our constant protests, Francie dragged Vaughn, Weiss, and I to the school library that we never even been before. Somehow studying in public places never worked for me. I would always get distracted or find myself people watching.

Settling into a private room on the third floor, we all sat around a big brown desk and took out our notebooks to compare notes. To no one's surprise, Francie had the most notes written down neatly with every key term highlighted. It was also to no one's surprise that Weiss only had 11 pages of notes from the whole semester and his handwriting was so bad that none of us could read it.

After awhile of talking about Chemistry terms that Weiss couldn't even pronounce, the complaints started coming out.

"Ok, I think we're good now. Time to go home, right guys?" Weiss asked, looking around at all of our faces.

"Eric, it's only been an hour. We have four more chapters to go over." Francie responded.

"Why did we have to come to the library anyways? We could've studied back at the apartment." Vaughn said as he scooted his chair closer to mine and laid his head on my shoulder.

"Because, Weiss would've been turning the TV on and not paying attention while you and Syd would probably sneak off into your room to do god knows what."

"No!" I yelled out.

"Yes! You guys can't keep your hands off of each other. We thought it was bad before. Now that you guys are doing it, it's even worse."

Weiss nodded in approval while Vaughn lifted his head off of my shoulder and just sat there with a big smirk on his face. Neither of us could deny it, but we didn't want to admit to it.

"I can't take this anymore. I'm going to go to the vending machine and grab me a soda." Weiss announced. "Mike, you want to come with me?"

"Yeah, sure." Vaughn answered while they both pushed themselves off of their chairs and made their way out of the room.

"Fran, it doesn't bother you that Vaughn and I are affectionate, right?" I asked, turning to face her.

"No, not at all Syd. I'm just joking around with you guys. It's actually sweet how close you two are."

"Oh, ok, I was just checking cause I don't want to annoy you or anything."  
"I swear, it doesn't. And, if it ever does, I'll let you know." She responded. "So, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to because I know Weiss has been bugging you, but how was it?"

"It was perfect Fran. Right before we made love, we said I love you to each other and it was so romantic."

"That is unbelievably, adorably sweet!" She squeaked out.

"I know. And Vaughn was so gentle and loving. After, we just sort of laid in each other's arms without saying anything, just basking in the enjoyment." I said wistfully, thinking of everything that happened that night.

"Oh, Syd! That sounds so dreamy. I'm jealous. My first time was definitely not like that."

"Really? What happened?" I asked.

"It wasn't anything horrible. But, my first boyfriend, Charlie, we sort of just did it because everyone else was doing it in high school. We didn't want to feel left out or anything. The first time sucked." She chuckled. "I mean, I was so tense and uncomfortable and Charlie was nervous. It was probably the most unromantic thing ever."

Just then, the boys walked in and handed us our drinks. Two diet cokes for the both of us. We spent a couple of more hours at the library going over everything possible. I found it extremely helpful and thanked god I had Fran to discuss all of the critical thinking questions with.

Weiss fell asleep on the table half way through the study session and Vaughn started reading one of his sports magazines. We both vowed not to help them the day before the final when they would be running to us for help.

**Vaughn's POV**

That night, after dinner, Syd and I snuggled up on my bed and watched the news. It was so normal for us to always want to have physical contact with each other. I know some people would be bored all the time if they held their girlfriend's hand. But for me, it was second nature.

Every time I got the chance I'd always be hugging and cuddling with Syd. It was the most natural thing in the world to me.

With her head tucked under my chin, I spoke so she would look up at me.

"Hey Syd… I've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks now. And I want to know what you think." Lifting her body up into a sitting position, she raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

"What's up?" She questioned.

"Well, I know you don't spend much time at your apartment anymore, so I was thinking maybe we could move in together next semester." I was tentative about telling her in the first place thinking it would make her uncomfortable.

"Really?" She asked excitedly.

"Yeah… you've basically moved in with me anyways. It wouldn't be a huge change."

"That sounds great. But, what about Francie? She'd be stuck with my rent."

"Actually, she could move in with us too. Downstairs in the lobby there was an ad saying they're renting out a 3-bedroom place on the 4th floor. Weiss, and Fran could have their own room while you and I could share one." I explained.

"That's a great idea Vaughn."

"I know. It would be the best for the all of us. It cuts down the cost of rent a lot. I figured you and I don't need our own separate rooms. Plus, if you get mad at me, I could just sleep on the couch." A big, dimpled smile played out on Syd's face. "So, what do you think?" I asked.

"I think it's a great idea." Syd responded.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I would love to move in with you."

Throwing her body on top of mine, she started kissing me hard on the mouth showing me just how much she appreciated my offer. I was just getting lost in the kiss and about to slip off her tank top when she swiftly moved her mouth off of mine.

"Wait." She said frantically.

"What? Are we out of condoms?" I asked, thinking that was the reason she stopped.

"No! I think you bought enough at the store the other day."

"Hey… you have to always be prepared."

"Isn't that the boy scout motto?" Syd inquired.

"Yeah… actually it is. Ok… if it's not about the condoms then why did you stop?"

"We're going to have to tell my dad that we're moving in together." She explained.

I disentangled myself from her and threw my head back against the pillow. If the mention of Jack Bristow doesn't get you out of the mood of having sex then I don't know what does.

"Hey Syd, can you not mention your dad when I'm about to undo your bra. It kind of ruins the mood."

Laughter erupted from her body as she scooted her body closer to me. Placing a soft, but sweet kiss on my lips, she apologized.

"I'm sorry Vaughn. The thought just popped into my head." She started tracing her fingers around my chest and looked at me playfully.

"You're not totally out of the mood, right?" She asked innocently.

"Kiss me again and we'll just have to find out."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	24. Chapter 24

_Hey guys! Thanks for all the lovely reviews you've been reading. You guys rock. Just so it's not confusing, Vaughn's text messages are in bold and Syd's is in italics. Enjoy the chap! Thanks again!_

Chapter 24.

**Syd's POV**

By the time Sunday night rolled around, studying was kicking all of us in the ass. We were so tired of trying to contain impossible amounts of information in our heads. All the reading I was trying to catch up on made my head hurt and my eyes blurry.

Vaughn was fast asleep on the couch with his legs on my lap while I continued to review some of my notes for English. Unexpectedly, Weiss came out of his room looking for a late night snack. Taking a peek over the edge of the couch, he started chuckling to himself.

"Looks like you wore your man out, Syd." He said jokingly.

"Shut up… You know we're all tired from studying."

"Can I ask you something?" He asked, walking around the couch and taking a seat on the coffee table.

"Sure, what's up?"

"See, I've been trying to give Francie signs to show her that I want to be more than friends with her. Either, she's completely oblivious, or she's trying hard to ignore me. I just don't know what do anymore."

Placing my notebook down on the arm of the couch, I sat up, trying my best not to wake Vaughn.

"Honestly Eric, I don't know what to tell you. Francie was deeply hurt from what Will did to her. It's going to take her a long time to be able to regain that trust with any guy. It's not you. You're not doing anything wrong." I explained.

"Are you sure? Because I know we have a great friendship and all. But, I want more. I'm trying to be patient with her, but I don't know how much longer I can wait. You think I should talk to her?"

I stayed silent for a moment pondering how I would answer him. In all other circumstances, I would tell Weiss to go for it. But, because Francie is having issues with guys right now, I didn't think it was such a good idea. Weiss would most likely be shot down and none of us wanted that.

"Give her a little more time. I think she needs it." I answered.

"I was thinking the same thing. But, we're all going to be leaving in a week and going back home. I can't go into the summer having regrets of not telling her, you know?"

"I understand. Ok, how about this? Wait till finals are over on Thursday and then talk to her. She'll be less stressed out and open to talk to you."

"Alright, that sounds good. Thanks Syd." He said, patting my leg and lifting himself off of the coffee table.

"No problem. I think that's the first time you've ever been serious, Weiss."

"Not for long. I'll refrain from making comments about the 'noise' you and Vaughn make late at night. These walls are thin around here, Syd."

"Weiss!" I hissed.

"Hey, hey. You said I was being too serious!" He responded as he stuck his tongue out at me.

The next morning, I woke up refreshed and ready to start the week. Francie made us all delicious French toast that Weiss absolutely adored. He must've wolfed down three or four whole pieces. At first, Vaughn and I thought he was only doing that because he wanted to show Francie that he liked her cooking. But, after the third piece we realized he was just being Weiss.

Sitting in my English class, I patiently awaited for my professor to pass out the essay topic when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I smiled seeing that I had a new text message.

_**Hey Syd. Just messaging you to wish you luck! You'll do great. **_

I hid my phone under the top of my desk and hit the respond button.

_Thanks Vaughn. Good luck on your final too. You fell asleep on me last night. :)_

**I know, I'm sorry. I was exhausted though. I promise, I'll make it up to you tonight. Even though you can't see me, I'm doing my eyebrow thing you like.**

Attempting to stifle my laughter, I put my head down on my desk to cover up my face.

_I'm going to hold you to that Vaughn. _

**I'm looking forward to it.**

_I have to go before I get caught. I'll talk to you later._

I had a hard time wiping the smile off of my face from Vaughn's cuteness. I'm sure the whole time I was writing my essay I had a stupid, silly smile plastered on my face. But, I just couldn't help it.

I ended up writing 9 and a half pages for my English final. By the time I finished, my hand was so sore that I couldn't even open it. My hand was permanently balled up in a fist and it couldn't stop shaking. My essay was long. Like Vaughn would say, it was Tolstoy long. I didn't know how I would be able to write for the rest of the week.

**Vaughn's POV**

Finally, it was Thursday morning and our last final. They saved the hardest one for last. We were all cramped in the big lecture hall that morning. Since everyone had to take it on the same day, we had to take it in the big hall with 300 seats. The seats were so close together that every time I wrote, my elbow would bump into Syd's. You know, on account of being left-handed.

Not that I minded bumping elbows with Syd. Every time I accidentally did it, I'd look to my left and she'd give me a big smile. She made it quite difficult to focus on the final. That and the banging of Weiss' head on the small desk made it nearly impossible to concentrate.

Watching Weiss made it apparent that the test was a bit too hard for him. I took a peak at Francie to the right of him and she was writing away. Well, not really writing since you have to fill in the bubbles. But still, she was answering like 3 questions a minute. All I was doing was sitting there watching other people.

By the time we finished up the test and were walking out of there, all of us were thrilled it was all over.

"Ok… so tonight we're celebrating. Vaughn and I are going to go get the drinks, you guys have to go get the food." Weiss said as he pointed to Francie and Syd.

"Alright, that sounds good. How can you get alcohol when you're only 19 Weiss?" Fran questioned.

"It's called a fake ID Hun. Any preferences?"

"Nope." Syd answered.

"Good. We're all getting drunk tonight."

Dropping the girls back off at the apartment, Weiss and I made our way to the store to pick up the drinks. I've been with him to buy drinks before, but sometimes it just feels overwhelming. Two full aisles were filled with all different kinds of hard liquor, malt drinks, wine, and beer.

"Heineken or New Castle?" Weiss asked me.

"Heineken."

"Heineken it is then." He said as he picked up two six-packs of the popular beer.

Weiss handed me the cases of beer while he went to grab two bottles of Jose Cuervo Tequila. It was the cheap tequila and not the best, but it got the job done. I was ready to drink any kind of alcohol. After the week with finals and all the stress, I was ready to let loose and finally relax.

"I don't know Mike. You know when I get hammered I start spitting out all of this ridiculous stuff." He said chuckling as were walking to the checkout counter.

"Yeah I know. Just try and not make a fool out of yourself, ok?"

"ID, please." The suspicious Safeway checker requested.

The middle aged worker eyed Weiss apprehensively while she looked at his ID. From the looks of her, she probably knew he and I were underage, but couldn't do anything about it since the ID looked legit. Handing back his ID, Weiss swiftly stuffed it in his wallet and glanced sideways at me.

"Do me a favor. If I start confessing my undying love for Francie tonight, go ahead and shut me up. I think that's probably the worse way to let her know, don't you think?"

"No problem. I'll make sure you don't." I responded.

We carried the heavy bottles out to the car and stuffed them in the trunk carefully. There was a note on the counter from Syd and Francie when we arrived home. It was just notifying us that they were at Costco picking up the food.

Wasting no time, Weiss popped open the bottle of beer and handed it to me.

"Dude, it's 3:30 in the afternoon and the girls aren't even back yet with the food." I said, not accepting the bottle of beer.

"All the more reason to start early. C'mon Mike, it's just a beer. Drink up." Finally taking the beer, I nodded my head.

"Alright. I'll have one. I want to wait for Syd after this."

"Fine. Bottoms up!" He yelled and lifted the bottle to his mouth, taking a long swig. "Oh, that tastes good."

**Syd's POV**

Since it was still early in the afternoon, Costco was empty aside from the few senior citizens strolling in and out of the aisles. Linking my arm through Fran's, we made our way to the snack area.

"Ok. What kind of snacks would the guys want?" She asked as she scanned through the different variety of crackers.

"I dunno. You can't go wrong with Chex mix." I added.

"Oh, good idea. We should just get a bunch of finger foods so we could snack on them all night instead of having to warm up meals."

"That sounds great. C'mon, lets go to the frozen foods section."

After picking out bagel bites, mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, French fries, taquitos, and egg rolls, we figured we had enough food for the tiny party.

"So Weiss talked to me a few days ago." I informed her.

"Yeah? What did he say?"

"He was telling me how he's trying to send out signals and that you're not responding to him." I explained.

"I've noticed. I just don't know what to do Syd. I really like Eric. I mean, he's a great, sweet, funny guy and I'd love to maybe start things up with him. But, right now, I don't want to be attached."

"I see."

"Syd, it's not all because of Will. Sure, what he did to me makes me want to question every single guy I date for the rest of my life, but part of not wanting to date right now has to do with me. Since I was 15, I've always been dating guys and looking around. I haven't been single for more than two months since I was in high school. I want to be single right now. I want to be independent and concentrate on my studies. I'm staying in the city this summer so I can take a couple more classes. I just don't want to deal with guys right now. You know?"

I understood completely what Francie was saying and I respected her decision. How Weiss was going to react to it was what worried me.

"I get it Fran and I support you 100. But, I'm warning you that Weiss is going to want to talk to you about this. Let him down easy, ok? He really cares about you Fran."

"I will. Thanks Syd."

While walking in the door with the groceries, both Vaughn and Weiss were sitting on the couch with their feet on the coffee table. They looked to be pretty comfortable there with their beers and watching the baseball game.

"Oooohh! Bagel Bites! Alright! Good choice guys." Weiss shouted while he jumped off of the couch and grabbed the box out of my hands.

We placed all of the food on the kitchen table and began warming up the bagel bites in the oven. As I was putting the extra food away in the freezer, I felt two strong arms embrace me from behind.

"Can you believe we're finally done? I thought we'd never make it Syd." Vaughn murmured as he placed a kiss on the spot between my neck and shoulder.

"I know. Now we can just relax and hang out this summer at home. We can go to the beach and take Donovan to the dog park. We could barbeque at your house in the backyard and have your mom and my dad with us." I said as I closed the freezer door and turned around in his arms.

"That sounds perfect." He responded.

Bringing my hand up to his forehead, I smoothed out the wrinkles and lines that were forming. I got lost staring into his beautiful green eyes. Vaughn always had this way of making me blush just by the way he looked at me.

Instead of kissing him, I placed my arms around his neck and pulled him in for a tight hug. We held each other close as I closed my eyes and relished in his embrace. It felt more special than kissing at the moment. Somehow, the way we were holding each other put us at a sense of ease. Breathing in his unique scent, I turned my head slightly to plant a kiss right under his left ear.

"Hey you two. There will be time for that later. Get over here and let's party." Weiss shouted from the family room.

"You know… we could ditch them, grab the bottle of tequila and have our own little party somewhere else." Vaughn said seductively.

"Save that idea for later. Let's go." I answered, pulling out of his embrace and leading him to where Weiss and Francie were sitting.

**Vaughn's POV**

Several hours later and a few beers too many, everyone was buzzed up good, including myself. Weiss was standing up in front of everyone telling a ridiculous story as Francie watched him with amusement. Syd and I knew better than to listen to one of Eric's stories so we were cuddled up on the other couch and enjoying the light atmosphere.

"Ok, take a sip of this." I told Syd, pushing my bottle of beer towards her.

"Vaughn, you know I hate the taste of beer."

"Just try it. If you don't like it, then give it back. But, you have to take a big gulp. Beer doesn't taste good if you just sip it." I instructed.

Taking the Heineken out of my hands, she looked at me apprehensively before throwing back a big gulp.

"Alright, I'll admit that it's ok. But I still don't like it." She added.

"See, I told you it wasn't that bad." I leaned over and placed a kiss on her temple. By that time, Eric just about finished his dumb story and had Francie doubled over, laughing like crazy.

"Hey, how come you guys aren't laughing?"

"Cause it wasn't funny. Francie's just being nice." I joked.

"Ok. We're going another round." Weiss said as he lined up the four shot glasses on the coffee table and filled them to the top.

Clinking our small shot glasses together, we all threw back the sour taste of tequila into our mouths. The alcohol burned at the back of my throat as I laid the shot glass back on the table. At that point, I lost count of how many shots I had. All I knew was that my vision was getting hazy and for sure I would have a nasty hangover in the morning.

Syd traced the top of the glass lightly with her fingertip before looking up at me. Her eyes were red and puffy circles were starting to appear. Several stubborn hairs were loose from her messy ponytail and sat on the edges of her face. Bringing my hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear, I was taken back by her beauty.

Taking me by surprise, she threw her arms around my neck and started kissing the side of my face. Amused, I sat there, placing my hands on her hips and enjoying what she was doing. Weiss was the one to break me out of my haze when he began speaking to me.

"Hey Mike, check out this play." He slurred, pointing to the TV.

"Hmm?" I managed to squeak out. By that time Syd has stopped kissing me and started slowly massaging the top of my shoulders.

"God, I wish I had a girlfriend." Weiss murmured.

My eyelids were starting to get heavy and I knew Syd would soon be falling asleep in my lap. Bringing her hands down from my shoulders, she curled up on my lap and laid her head down on my chest, right under my chin.

"C'mon Eric. Change the channel. I don't want to watch sports." Francie whined while trying to grab the remote from Weiss hand.

"No! You'll change it to Lifetime and watch some sad, sappy, romantic movie."

"I will not!" She shouted back.

"Yes you will."

Rising from the couch, Francie threw herself at Weiss and attempted once again to grab the remote out of his hand. They rolled around on the floor for a minute with Weiss holding the remote high up in the air and Francie throwing elbows and kicks.

Finally, she managed to pin Weiss down and swipe the remote from his hand.

"Aha! I got it! Take that." She shouted triumphantly.

Instead of responding or fighting back, Weiss reached up, grabbed her from behind her neck, and pulled her in for a kiss. I sat there wide-eyed not knowing what to do. My one job was to prevent Weiss from doing exactly what he was doing at the moment. Drunk or not, I had a responsibility.

Breaking off the kiss, Francie stood up, placed the remote on the coffee table and silently made her way to the kitchen. Weiss threw his head back on the floor, immediately regretting his actions.

"What have I done?" He asked himself quietly.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	25. Chapter 25

_Hey all, thanks for the wonderful reviews! A little off topic, I just watched Ladder 49 and that movie was really sad. I was like, man... I need to go read some fics to cheer me up. If anyone has seen that, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, here's the next chapter. I can't wait till Wednesday swings by!_

Chapter 25.

**Syd's POV**

A sledgehammer. That's all I could think of when I awoke the next morning. That someone was pounding my head in with a sledgehammer. It hurt all the way around my head. There was no specific spot to where the pain was hitting. It was everywhere. Attempting my best to get rid of the throbbing, I shoved my head under my pillow.

"Syd…" I heard Vaughn whisper. Instead of responding, I let out a loud groan.

"Are you awake, Syd?"

"No." I grunted out.

"Here… take these."

Slowly taking the pillow off of my head, I sat up and squinted at Vaughn. He held out a glass of water and two pills, which I assumed was Advil.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him.

"Like shit. I just took these. Figured you could use the same." He said, handing me the pills.

"Thanks, Vaughn."

I swallowed the pills slowly and took note of how soar my throat was. Placing the glass of water back on the nightstand, I laid back down and tried to make myself comfortable. I could feel Vaughn drape his arm around my stomach and pull me closer. His unshaven cheek tickled my bare shoulder when he put his head down next to mine.

I had no coherent memory of what happened after falling asleep on Vaughn's lap the night before. The last thing I could recall was kissing Vaughn's jaw, rubbing his shoulders, and then hearing Francie and Weiss arguing before I drifted off. Everything after that was a blur.

I assumed Vaughn carried me to his bed and changed me into shorts and a t-shirt. I was lucky I didn't have to get up in the middle of the night and empty out the contents of my stomach. I had a bad feeling that this morning would be different since the ceiling couldn't stop spinning.

When I was finally able to wake up and pull myself out of bed, I went into the bathroom and drew myself a bath. I figured a long soak in the tub might make me feel better. Thank god I had no studying to do or anything to take care of. I fully intended on lying around the whole day and attempting to get rid of the hangover.

I let my body soak in the warm water and closed my eyes, laying my head back on the edge of the tub. After a few minutes of peaceful silence, the door opened slowly as Vaughn entered with two cups of coffee.

"Hey…" He greeted me softly and handed me the cup.

"Hey… thanks for the coffee. I needed this."

"Are you feeling any better?" He asked.

"A little. After I took the Advil, my headache got a little better. Other than that, I still feel pretty shitty. What about you?"

"Same. Tequila is the worst."

"I know." I responded, nodding my head in agreement.

"So. I assume you were the one that brought me to bed and stripped me of my clothes." I said chuckling.

"Yeah, I mean, I couldn't let you sleep in your jeans, you know."

"I know, I'm just joking with you. What time did you get to bed?"

"Around 2:30 after Weiss kissed Francie."

I almost choked on the coffee I was drinking after hearing Vaughn's statement.

"He what?" I shouted.

"He kissed her. They were wrestling around on the floor and then he just reached up and kissed her." Vaughn explained.

"Oh my god. What did Francie say? Was she freaked out?"

"Yeah, you could say that. She just got up and went to the kitchen. Weiss said that this morning she left right when she woke up and headed home. None of us got the chance to talk to her."

"That's not good. How's Weiss?" I asked thinking about how crushed Weiss must be at the moment.

"Bummed out. I don't know. He'll be ok. He just feels like an idiot for doing it I guess."

"Aww, poor Weiss. I should go over and talk to Francie later and see how she feels. Damn, I must've been really knocked out if I missed all of that."

"Oh you were. You were snoring on my chest!"

**Vaughn's POV**

My whole day was spent trying to cheer Weiss up and dozing off on the couch. If anyone would've walked into our apartment that day they would've seen three people sprawled out on the floor and couch moaning in pain.

Weiss was so depressed, he tried to start drinking again saying that his hangover couldn't get any worse. Syd and I had to hide the rest of the beers from him. We didn't even have to bother with the tequila since the four of us managed to kill both of the bottles the night before.

Late in the afternoon, Syd announced that she was going over to check on Francie and that I was to make sure Weiss didn't start drinking anymore.

"Mike…" I heard him mumble from the kitchen table.

"What?" I answered.

"I think I ruined my all of my chances with Francie."

"No you didn't. You were drunk. If she asks you just blame it on the alcohol."

"Being drunk is what makes it worst. You know everyone's theory on how the truth comes out when you're drunk. That's completely true." He argued as he got up from the kitchen table and sat down opposite from me on the other couch.

"That's not true, Weiss."

"Yes it is! She thinks I'm a fool now. You were supposed to stop me!"

Shielding my eyes from the sun peeking in through the shades, I looked at Weiss to see him pointing at me.

"How is it my fault that you kissed Francie? I wasn't over there pushing your heads together. You were the one that did it, not me." I defended myself.

"Yes, I did kiss her, but you were supposed to prevent me from doing anything stupid like that! You promised me when we were at the store."

"Ok… if I recall, you told me to make sure you didn't say anything stupid. Which I did, by the way. There was nothing about making sure you didn't do anything stupid."

"Oh, don't get technical with me. It's the same thing!" He argued.

I could tell Weiss was getting heated and I didn't want to tick him off even more. He was already peeved about Francie walking out on him and I didn't want to feed into his fire.

"Alright, dude. I'm sorry. I couldn't really do anything though. Syd was passed out on my lap." I explained.

"Ahh, it's ok, Mike. I just hope Syd comes back with good news."

"Good news?" I questioned curiously.

"Yeah… good news. Like, how Francie doesn't hate my guts."

Luckily, Weiss was able to stop thinking about it after he found the Victoria's Secrets runway show on TV. I seriously thought I'd have to wipe up the drool off of the floor where he was sitting. Some of the girls in lingerie were hot, but they were supposed to be because they were models.

I had more fun looking at the skimpy outfits and imagining my girlfriend in those. Then I thought about how hard Syd would slap me in the head for having those thoughts. But, I couldn't help it. I made a mental note to suggest to Syd to stop by Victoria's Secret on our next trip to the mall.

Oh, how I would give my left arm to see Sydney in that black lace bra. Weiss read my mind perfectly, looked at me, and told me to keep dreaming.

**Syd's POV**

Picking up a jamba juice on the way, I drove back to my apartment. Somehow, it felt weird calling it my apartment still because it really wasn't. I only went back there to pick up extra clothes and stuff I had forgotten.

Thinking about my apartment got me wondering how life next fall would be like when I officially moved in with Vaughn. The only thing I feared was the pressure of living together. Sure it would be romantic and convenient, but what if living together puts a strain on our relationship?

Shaking the thought out of my head, I walked in to see Francie lying down on the couch and watching TV.

"Hey sweetie. I picked you up a Jamba Juice on the way." I announced while plopping myself down on the couch.

"Oooh, thanks Syd. It's just what I needed. How's your hangover?"

"It's a little better now that I'm out and walking around. What about you?"

"Eh, it's ok. My head hurts and my stomach is upset. But, other than that, I'm cool." Fran explained.

Silence filled the apartment for a few minutes while we both watched TV and sipped at our drinks. I don't think either of us wanted to bring up the Weiss situation.

"So… I heard what happened." I said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah? Is Weiss killing himself over it yet?"

"Pretty much."

"I knew that was going to happen." Pausing to stir around the contents of her drink, she continued. "Syd, I didn't mean to walk out on him like that. But, I didn't know what to do. He caught me by such a big surprise that I couldn't even say anything."

"I know how that is." I answered. "I think Weiss thinks you hate him now."

"Oh, Syd. I don't hate him. I don't hate him at all. I love Weiss. He is one of the sweetest, most caring guys that I know. "

"Well, how did you feel when he kissed you? Did you feel anything?"

Thinking to herself for a little, Francie looked down at her hands before answering.

"No… I didn't feel anything Syd and that's what makes me feel so horrible." She murmured.

"It shouldn't make you feel horrible Fran. It's not your fault."

"But it is. I guess I've sort of been leading Weiss on these last couple of weeks by staying at his apartment and giving him false hope. I shouldn't have done that. The last thing I wanted to do was break his heart and now I think I've lost a great friend too."

Tears were starting to form under her eyes while I reached for the Kleenex box and handed her one.

"It's ok Fran. You just need to tell him everything you've told me about the way you feel. About how you're not ready for a relationship but that you still want to continue to be friends with him."

"Thanks Syd. I also wanted to talk to you about something…"

"Oh ok, go for it." I urged.

"I know the four of us discussed moving in together and getting that three bedroom place over where the guys live. But, I was thinking about it this morning and I don't think it's a good idea. I think I'm going to stay here at our place."

"Oh…" I said surprised. "Well, if that's what you want. I guess I could put off living with Vaughn for another year."

"No! No Syd… I don't want you to feel like you have to live with me. If you want to go move in with Michael then that's fine."

"What about my rent and my room? You can't live here by yourself." I pointed out.

"Actually, there's this girl, Emily, in my business class that is moving out the dorms and she's looking for a place to live. So, if you're sure about moving in with Michael, then I'll really ok with it."

"Oh, ok." I said disappointed.

Somehow, my talk with Francie made me feel saddened. It felt like she wanted me to move out and bring in this new girl who I didn't even know. Fran was my best friend and I couldn't imagine not living with her. But, I really wanted to live with Vaughn. I had a decision to make and I wasn't sure about what I wanted to do.

**Vaughn's POV**

"God, when is Syd coming home? How long has she been Mike? Maybe you should call her. She has been gone for awhile." Weiss said frantically as he paced around the family room.

"Chill out Weiss. She's only been gone for a couple of hours. She's probably just hanging out with Francie."

"But, I need to know what Francie said! It's killing me. Why was I such an idiot?" He shouted.

"We already had this discussion, dude."

After pacing around nervously for 20 more minutes and me yelling at him to out of the way from the TV, Syd finally returned him carrying a bag of groceries in her hand.

"Hey beautiful." I greeted her as she walked in.

"Hey handsome. I bought stuff for dinner. I'm going to cook you guys fettuccini Alfredo. Does that sound good?" She asked, swiftly planting a kiss on my lips before making her way to the kitchen to put the groceries down.

Meanwhile, Weiss was following Syd everywhere waiting for her to tell him about her talk with Francie. Syd knew what he was doing and decided to mess with him a little.

"Syd? Sydney… Talk to me. What did Francie say?"

"What? What are you talking about Weiss?" She said innocently while trying to hide the smirk that was creeping up on her face.

"You know what I'm talking about!" He yelled from the top of his lungs.

"Ok! Damn Eric, you need to calm down. Vaughn, what's wrong with him?" Syd shouted in my direction.

"He's gone completely insane. You missed the whole hour of him freaking out and telling me to call you." I yelled back.

"Alright… I'm really just going to let her talk to you instead of me spilling out everything. But, to put you at a little ease, she doesn't hate you. She's not mad at you at all and only left because she was a little weirded out by the kiss." Syd explained.

"Weirded out? That doesn't sound good."

"I'll just let her explain things for herself, Weiss. That way you can understand because it'll be clearer coming from her."

"Fine." Weiss answered, walking into his room disappointed.

Both Syd and I were feeling a lot better by nighttime and the dinner she made was incredibly delicious. The pasta was cooked just right and was overloaded with sauce and cheese, just the way I liked it.

Although Syd seemed cheery, there was something that was bothering her and it was apparent to me. I could tell in the way she was staring off into space and biting her lower lip like she was deep in thought.

I always had this way of knowing when something was wrong with Syd. It was like a sixth sense to me.

I decided to leave her alone for a while, leaving her to think about whatever was bothering her. I learned that sometimes you just have to give your girlfriend space and if she wants to talk to you about it, then she will. I was proven right when we slipped into bed and turned the lights off.

Propping herself up on one elbow, she began to speak to me.

"When I went to talk to Francie today, I had the feeling that she was trying to replace me. I know I'm probably just being overly sensitive, but I couldn't help but feel bad about it." She said quietly.

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, she explained to me that she doesn't want to move in with us next semester because of the whole Weiss situation and doesn't think that's a good idea."

"Ok… that seems logical. What else did the say?" I asked, curiously.

"That if I wanted to move in with you then it's ok with her because there's this girl Emily that she's friends with and is looking for a place to live. That's when I felt that she was trying to replace me because it's like she wanted me to move out."

"I don't think she wants you to move out Syd. You guys are best friends. I just think she doesn't want you to feel guilty for leaving her and moving in with me."

"I don't know Vaughn… maybe moving in with you isn't a good idea." She said doubtfully.

"What?"

Sitting up to lean against the headboard, I took her left hand in mine.

"Syd, don't you want to live with me? I mean you practically live with me anyways. It wouldn't be any different than it is now. Except, I would clear out half of my closet and a couple of drawers for your clothes."

"No, Vaughn. It's not like I don't want to live with you because I do! I think it's a great idea. But, what if something goes wrong with us? Where am I going to live? What if there's just too much pressure of officially live together and we can't take it?"

I could tell Syd was stressed out about the situation. She had every right to ask those questions because they were a concern.

"Listen to me Sydney. I'm in this relationship for the long run. I have no intentions on screwing this up at all. I want you to live with me because I love you. If I have to spend another night with you not in my bed, I don't know what I'm going to do." Bringing my hand up to her face, I brushed away a few strands a slowly awaited her response.

"Oh my god, why do you know exactly the perfect thing to say in every situation?" She asked laughing.  
"I don't know, maybe it's a gift."  
"I feel the exact same way, Vaughn. I guess I'll make it official and tell Fran tomorrow. So, for the last time, are you sure about this?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." I responded bringing my face down to hers and planting a slow kiss on her lips.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated :)**


	26. Chapter 26

_Hey guys... once again, thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I'm so excited for Wednesday! The promo looks great. Everyone have a good week. :)_

**Chapter 26.**

**Syd's POV**

The next couple of days were spent moving all of my stuff into Vaughn's place and packing up all of our clothes for home. Telling Francie that I was officially moving into Vaughn's was hard to do. A little part of me felt like I was betraying her. I never wanted to be the type of person to ditch your best friend for a guy, but living with my boyfriend was what I really wanted.

We figured out that for the rest of the summer, I'd mail up my rent check to her and then when Emily moves in at the end of August that I'll start paying rent with Weiss and Vaughn.

I was a bit skeptical of this Emily girl. I wondered what she was like and if her and Francie were going to be best friends. Vaughn laughed every time I referred to Emily as "The Best Friend Stealer" even though I'd never met her before and was the one moving out on Francie.

It took us a full two days to move out all the stuff from my room and throw away things I didn't need. Since my bed was a futon, it was easy to place it in Vaughn's room and have a couch in there. Plus, I figured if I ever got mad at him I wouldn't have to sleep in the same bed.

After clearing everything out, Vaughn and I sat on the floor of my now empty bedroom.

"It looks so empty in here. Don't you think it's sad?" I asked him quietly.

"Of course it's sad. It was your first place away from home." He said, bringing his hand up to rub my shoulder.

"I'm really going to miss this place. You know this is the place where we spent out first night together?"

"Yeah… Too bad we never got to have sex in here." He mumbled, thinking I couldn't hear him.

"Oh my god, are you still upset over that?"

"C'mon Syd. We have to expand our horizon…" He joked.

"We're going back home to LA tomorrow. We can expand our horizon there." I added as I slapped him in the hand.

"Alright… We have to get home and get cleaned up. Let's go." Standing up, Vaughn offered his hand to help me up.

On the previous day, Weiss and Francie were finally able to sort things out. She kindly explained to him that she just wanted to be friends for now because she wasn't ready for a relationship. Weiss was a bit bummed out, but fully accepted her decision and was glad they were back to being friends again.

We all decided that we'd do something special for our last night in San Francisco. The only person staying in the city for the summer was Francie. Since none of us wanted to touch any sort of alcohol for a while, we all figured drinking was our last option.

Instead, Weiss all got us great tickets for the Giants game that night. I smiled thinking about the last time I was at a Giants game. It was the night that Vaughn and I kissed for the first time. Of course, both of us were too shy to fess up to our real feelings that nothing happened for a week.

We finally arrived at the game just in time to hear the starting lineup. Walking down the steep set of stairs, we sat down in the third row.

"Wow Weiss, these are some awesome seats! And, I don't even like baseball!" Francie said excitedly.

"I bought them online a couple of days ago for face value. What do you think Mike?" Weiss asked, looking over to Vaughn.

"I think they're great. I feel like we're on the field."

"I know, dude. You all better duck if a foul ball comes your way." Weiss warned us.

It was like Vaughn and mine's date all over again with Weiss and Francie. They sat there giggling with each other while he tried to explain everything he knew about baseball. I remembered most of the stuff Vaughn taught me and screamed out, "Drop third strike!" when the catcher dropped the ball and the runner started sprinting towards first base.

I've never seen Vaughn look so proud. I think I even saw a couple of tears of joy come out of his green eyes.

"Hey Syd…" Fran said nudging me. "Look at that guy standing on top of the dugout. Don't you think he's hot?"

Sitting up a little so I could get a good view, I surveyed the sight in front of me. No doubt was the player hot. He also had a great smile.

"Ooohhh, yeah he is! Weiss who is that?" I asked, wanting to know the cute player's name.

"That's Jesse Foppert. He's a pitcher." He answered.

"Jesse Foppert. He is one good looking boy." Fran added while we both stared at him.

Just then, Jesse Foppert took off his hand and slowly ran a hand through his blonde hair making both Francie and I gasp.

"He even has nice hair!" Francie shouted.

I could feel Vaughn tensing up to the right of me. His grip on my hand slowly became tighter every second I stared at the hot baseball player. I knew Vaughn was getting slightly jealous, but he really didn't have anything to worry about. Francie was the one that was lusting.

**Vaughn's POV**

I sat there watching as my girlfriend stared at the good-looking player standing on the top step of the dugout. Yes, I admitted that he was good-looking. He still wasn't anything special. Sure, he was a professional athlete and probably made a lot of money. Not to mention his arms looked really strong.

With Sydney's hand entwined with my own, I gripped on to her tighter. I never liked to be the one that was jealous. But, after what happened with Danny, I felt a bit insecure.

"I don't mean to disappoint you guys or whatever, but that dude doesn't even play. He's been hurt for the whole season. There's something wrong with his arm." Weiss bragged, thinking this would turn the girls off.

"So… he's still hot." Francie snapped back.

Meanwhile, Syd looked at me silently. Giving me one of her adorable, dimpled smiles, she brought her hand up to smooth the concerned wrinkles on my forehead.

"You're not jealous, are you Vaughn?" She asked innocently, knowing full well that she was playing with my emotions.

"No…" I gritted through my teeth.

"I'm just playing with you. You've got nothing to worry about. I love my man."

Cupping my face with both her hands, she leaned in for a slow, long kiss. I didn't need any more reassurance. That alone showed me I was fretting over nothing.

For the rest of the game, Syd and I snuggled up close with my arm around her shoulders and her head tucked under mine. The four of us couldn't have had a better time. We sat there laughing, cheering, and enjoying our time spent together.

I knew it'd be different once I got back home to LA. I didn't want admit it, but I really was going to miss Weiss. His friendly banter always made me laugh along with all of his crazy advice. In reality, if it weren't for his encouragement, I probably wouldn't have had the guts to finally tell Syd how I felt about her.

Over these past few months, Weiss grew to be my best friend and my wingman. I guess the one thing I wasn't going to miss was his loud snoring and his constant belching. I couldn't help but think how weird it was going to be not waking up to Weiss' pancakes and bacon, which I said I didn't like but secretly thought they tasted pretty good.

All of us were exhausted when we finally got back to our apartment. Even though it was late and sleep was calling all of our names, we decided to sit around the family room and reminisce about all of the things that happened to us in the last 10 months.

"Ok Mike… do you remember the first time you walked in this place? I had already been living here for a week and when you walked in your room you screamed, 'Oh my god my room is huge!" Weiss reminisced.

"Yeah. It's only because I always imagined my first year in college I'd be cramped in some small ass apartment and hating my roommate."

"Geez thanks! It's nice to know you had a lot of expectations for me."

"Oh c'mon. We get along just fine. I lucked out buddy. I thought I was going to get stuck with a jerk." I answered as I rubbed my eyes tiredly.

"I have a confession to make though. Syd, I had the hugest crush on you for like two weeks. When you first came here to visit Mike. I thought you were so hot." Weiss said laughing.

"Awww thanks Weiss. I'm flattered." Syd responded.

"I would've tried and went after you, but after seeing the way Mike looked at you, I knew you weren't for me."

I felt slightly embarrassed from what Weiss was saying. I had no reason to, but I could feel the blush creeping up on my cheeks.

"Oh that is so sweet." Francie added. "I also knew you too were meant to be together. Michael, on the first day Syd moved in with me all she did was talk about you."

"Really?" I questioned, feeling quite special.

"Oh yeah. She was going on and on about how you guys decided to move up to San Francisco together and how you've been best friends since you were little kids. Before I even met you, I knew you meant a lot to her."

It was now Syd's time to feel embarrassed as she bit her lip nervously and looked down to the floor.

"Yep Syd, Vaughn was so in love with you that during his naps on his couch, I could hear him moaning your name in his sleep." Everyone but me started cracking up at Weiss' revelation. No one was meant to hear that.

"Ok, that's enough reminiscing. C'mon babe, we're going to bed." I said amused while I pulled Syd up off of the couch and into my bedroom.

**Syd's POV**

I awoke early the next morning and spent several minutes staring at Vaughn while he slept peacefully. A tiny smile was played out on his lips while his left arm was tucked securely under his pillow.

I continued to lie there and just take in how gorgeous Vaughn really was. Even though I saw him everyday and have known him forever, he still seemed to take my breath away. Every time he walked into a room and flashed me his charming smile, my breath would hitch in my throat. Even after all of these years I was still taken back by just how incredibly good-looking he was.

Turning slowly on to my back, I remembered the day Vaughn and I decided we were going to San Francisco State.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_"Can you believe we're graduating in like 4 months Vaughn? Isn't that insane?" I asked him as I looked over my Econ book._

_Both of us were sprawled out on his bed reviewing for our Economics test the next day._

"_I know. I can't believe it. It went by so amazingly fast. But, I'm happy we're getting out of that school. Four years have been enough." He answered._

"_Have you decided where you're going to college yet? You have to sign your intent to enroll at the end of the month, right?"_

"_Yeah… I'm still deciding. I know Northridge is cool and it's close to home. I could still take care of my mom if I were here. I could also go to community college for a couple of years and then try to transfer into UCLA or something." _

"_So you want to stay local?" I questioned, disappointed that he wasn't going to be close to me._

"_I'm not sure. Are you still stoked about San Francisco?"_

"_Yeah, I'm going to officially enroll next week."_

_I tried to hide my discontentment well. I didn't want to pressure Vaughn into anything even though I had been hinting for the last month that I wanted him to go to San Francisco State with me._

"_That's good Syd. I'm glad you know where you want to go." He said encouragingly. _

"_Yep…" I responded quietly. _

_Beginning to doodle on my notebook, I stayed silent for a moment trying to take in what life would be like without Vaughn by my side._

"_You want me to go with you, don't you?" Vaughn asked, breaking the silence._

"_Of course I do. You're my best friend. But I know you want to stay close to your mom. So stop worrying about me cause I'll be fine." _

_Suddenly, Vaughn slipped off of his bed and stood up quietly. I could see he was thinking hard because his eyes were squinted and his forehead had the familiar wrinkles._

"_I'm gonna go with you." He spit out abruptly._

"_What?" I asked stunned. Did I hear him correctly?_

"_I want to go to San Francisco with you."_

"_Are you serious?" Jumping off of his bed, I stood in front of him to look him straight in the face. _

"_I'm dead serious. I've been thinking about it for the last couple of weeks, I just didn't want to tell you and get your hopes up. But, I want to do it. I figured, we aren't that far away from home plus I'll be with you."_

"_Aww Vaughn! I'm so happy!" Leaping into his arms, I gave him a tight hug._

"_We're going to be gators." He laughed._

"_Yep, we're going to be gators."_

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

Hearing Vaughn stirring next to me, I turned to look at him while he flickered his eyes open.

"Hey…" He whispered.

"Good morning."

"What were you doing?"

"Just watching you sleep." I answered as placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "I was just thinking about the day you and I decided we were moving up here."

"You had no idea I was planning on going to state with you the whole time, did you?" He said smirking.

"What? You told me you were all confused on where you wanted to go."

"I only did that so you wouldn't think I was following you up here." He explained.

"Vaughn, I was practically begging you to come with me."

"I know, but still. I was so determined to hide my feelings and I didn't want it to be so obvious by immediately telling you my plans."

"I get it…" I whispered. "I'm glad you're here with me though. I don't know what I would do without you."

It was traditional for Francie to cook us a big breakfast that morning. All of us ate in silence not really knowing how to feel. Even though we were only going to be away from each other for a few months, all of us were too sad to leave.

We were all so comfortable hanging out with each other all the time and adjusting to life on our own. It made me not want to say goodbye to Francie and Weiss. Too many fond memories were shared during our freshman year and part of me wanted to make it last forever.

After we finally loaded all of our luggage and bags into Vaughn's car, we started to say our sad goodbyes to Francie and Weiss.

"Alright dude. Call me later when you guys get in." Weiss said to Vaughn, as they were a little apprehensive to show any emotion.

"I will Eric. Thanks for everything man." Vaughn responded, finally giving in embracing Weiss quickly.

"I'm going to miss you Sydney Bristow. Come over here and give me some sugar." Walking over to Weiss, I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug.

"I'll miss you too Weiss. Don't worry I'll take care of Vaughn for you. What time is your flight?" I asked.

"4:30. Francie is going to drive me to the airport."

I looked over to Francie who already had tears spilling down her face.

"Oh sweetie, come here." I said quietly, opening my arms to Francie. After shedding a few tears of my own, I finally let go.

"This is so sad! It's not like we're never going to see each other again! Ok, the week before the 4th of July I'm coming down to LA and you're going to take me shopping on Sunset Boulevard." Francie announced.

"That sounds good. I love you Fran."

"I love you too Syd. I'll see you in a little while. You be good to her Michael." Fran added before hugging Vaughn.

"Don't worry, I will."

Wiping my eyes one last time, I made my way to the other side of the car and hopped into the passenger's seat. As we pulled out of the driveway, both Vaughn and I rolled down our windows and quickly waved to Fran and Weiss.

"You ready to go home, Syd?" Vaughn asked, reaching over to hold my hand.

"Yeah… let's go home."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated!**


	27. PART II Chapter 1

**IMPORTANT! Must Read- **

_Ok guys.. this is the beginning the second part of this fic. I started a whole new part instead of making another fic so it's easier for people to catch up in case they haven't read the whole story. It begins at the beginning of their secondsemester in college. It'll be confusing at first, but read on and you'll understand. Flashbacks are in italics and will tell you all you need to know about what's going on. There's going to be a whole lot of flashbacks in the upcoming chapters to clue you guys in. Hope it doesn't get too confusing! Enjoy..._

PART II- Chapter 1.

**Syd's POV**

The crisp air of the fall season came creeping into the apartment as I huddled up on Vaughn's side of the bed and stared aimlessly at the TV. San Francisco had gotten cold the in the past week welcoming in the new season.

His familiar scent still lingered on his pillow as I brought it up to my nose and inhaled deeply. It had been exactly 3 weeks since I had seen him. His face was never far from my mind as every second was spent thinking of him.

I thought about his adorably disheveled hair in the morning and waking up to his beautiful green eyes. I thought about the way he kissed my shoulder before falling asleep and how he never failed to tell me I was beautiful and that he loved me. I thought about his forehead wrinkles and the way his jaw would be clenched when I purposely made him jealous.

A knock at the door brought me out of my reverie. Weiss came strolling into the room holding a glass of hot chocolate for me.

"Here you go Syd. I made your favorite before you go to bed." He said cheerfully, taking a seat at the edge of the bed.

"Thanks Weiss." I answered softly.

"You miss him, don't you?" He asked.

All I could do was nod my head as tears threatened to fall from my eyes.

"I know Syd. But you guys are going to get through this because you love each other. You two are the strongest couple I've ever met." Coming over to give me a Kleenex, Weiss patted me on the shoulder.

"It's just so hard Weiss. Being away from him hurts so much. It's not just an emotional pain either. I'm physically hurting without him. I can't eat, I can't sleep, and I can't even concentrate on school. I need him. I need Vaughn."

Sobs racked my body, as I could no longer hold myself together. Weiss pulled me into a tight hug while he told me everything was going to be ok.

Exhaustion soon took over and I drifted off into a restless sleep, thinking about everything that had happened during the summer.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"_Ok, your house or mine, first?" Vaughn asked as we got off the freeway and approached our neighborhood. _

"_Well, we went to my house first on spring break so let's go see your mom first." I said excitedly while I couldn't contain my excitement for finally being home._

_Unloading Vaughn's entire luggage was a pain in the ass because he managed to pack every single article of clothing to bring home. I teased him about it telling him he had more clothes than a girl._

_As soon as he unlocked his front door, Donovan came running up to him and lightly scratching at Vaughn's legs._

"_Donny!" Vaughn yelled. "How's my little pup doing? I missed you so much Donovan!" Bending down, Vaughn enveloped Donovan in his arms and picked him up._

"_Hey Donovan.." I greeted him while I scratched the spot under his chin._

"_Hey Mom! Where are you?" Vaughn shouted, letting Donovan jump down from his arms._

"_I'm in the backyard!" Amelié shouted back._

_Taking a hold of my hand, Vaughn pulled me close to him and lead me through the door of his backyard._

"_Oh, my Michael!" Amelié said cheerfully and took him into his arms. "How is my only son doing?"_

"_I'm good Mom. Your flowers look great out here." Vaughn said as they finally pulled apart and looked around his mother's garden. _

"_Sydney, my dear. Come over here sweetheart!"_

_Walking over to Amelié, I gave her a tight hug and then a kiss on her cheek._

"_And how are you two doing?" She questioned while she eyed the both of us._

"_We're doing great mom." Vaughn answered while he draped his arm across my shoulders and planted a kiss on my temple._

_For the next couple of hours, the three of us sat on the patio of Vaughn's backyard chatting away about our upcoming plans for the summer. Amelié whipped up some delicious sandwiches and lemonade for lunch as we munched down on them hungrily._

_When we finally decided to take a ride to my house, my dad still hadn't returned home from work. Instead, there was a note on the refrigerator door. It read-_

_**Sydney-**_

_**I know you're coming home tonight, but I will be at work until 7:30. Don't make plans for dinner, I will bring home some food from O Solo' Mio. Tell Michael he can join us if he likes.**_

_Surveying the note for a minute, I pinned it back up on the refrigerator and went to inform Vaughn of what was going on. He had already made himself comfortable on our leather couch that was parked in front of a large, flat screen TV. Having that TV never made any sense to me though since my dad wasn't really a TV kind of guy._

_Taking a seat next to Vaughn, I slipped off my shoes and brought my legs up to my chest._

"_What are you watching?" I asked as I took a sideways glance at him._

"_Meet the Parents. It's at commercial though. You know, your dad kind of reminds me of Robert De Niro's character. I can completely see him giving me the 'family circle of trust' speech." He answered laughing._

"_So, we have a couple of hours to kill before my dad gets home. What do you want to do?" _

_Scooting myself closer to Vaughn, I slowly unzipped the top of his sweatshirt and started planting wet kisses around his neck._

"_Oh, Sydney. Don't do that. You know what happens when you start doing that." He warned._

_I decided to ignore his pleading and continued my assault on his neck. Vaughn could no longer ignore what I was doing and brought his hands up to the patch of bare skin on my back. Swiftly, I slipped my hands under both his sweatshirt and t-shirt and whipped it off of his body._

_I climbed on top of his lap to run my hands up and down his smooth chest while he worked on the buttons of my shirt. Bringing my mouth to his, I kissed him hard on the mouth, slipping my tongue in during the process._

_A slow moan escaped from both of our mouths while we became lost in our kiss. My shirt soon joined Vaughn's on the floor and I began work on the buckle of his belt.. As he laid me down on the couch and brought his body on top of mine, we both laughed at my poor ability to undo a belt buckle. _

_Right before, my pants were about to come off, we both heard the garage door begin to open._

"_Shit!" Vaughn yelled out, throwing his body off of mine and frantically searching for his clothes._

_We both had exactly 20 seconds to dress and compose ourselves before my father came walking in the door._

"_Here!" Vaughn hissed, throwing me my shirt._

_I've never seen Vaughn move so fast in my life as I watched him put his shirt back on and buckle the belt on his pants. Thank god my lack of dexterity wasn't delaying me from buttoning my shirt or else we would've been in a lot of trouble._

_After fully dressing, the both of us hopped back on the couch and acted like we were watching TV. My dad entered 10 seconds later holding his briefcase in one hand, and a bag full of takeout food in the other._

"_Dad!" I yelled, jumping up off the couch and running to him to give him a tight hug._

"_Sydney… it is great to see you home. You look a little flushed? Is everything ok?" He asked._

"_Oh… yeah. Everything is fine. I was just, umm, carrying my luggage upstairs and it was really heavy."_

_My dad actually accepted my lame excuse and dismissed it without any question. Just then, Vaughn came strolling over to shake my dad's hand._

"_Hello Michael. It's good to see you again."_

"_Thank you Jack, it's good to see you too." Vaughn responded._

"_I'd be more than happy to have you stay for dinner." My father offered._

"_I'd love to."_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

**Vaughn's POV**

I awoke in a cold sweat once again in the middle of the night. The dreams I were beginning to have were so vivid and real. In any other situation, these dreams would be thought of as good dreams and dreams to remind you of the wonderful things that had happened. But, these dreams only seemed to haunt me. For these dreams reminded me of how much I missed Sydney.

I would see her face in my head. Her gorgeous, flawless face with her chocolate brown eyes and long eye lashes. I often dreamt of all the times we cuddled up on my bed and kisses we shared in the morning.

Slipping out of my bed, I went downstairs to grab a glass of water. The cold water felt good on my dry throat as I gulped down two full glasses.

Before walking back to my room, I peeked through the open crack of my mom's bedroom to see how she was doing. Her frail little body was curled up under the blankets as it looked like she was sleeping peacefully. But, I never knew for sure since the nausea would sometimes awaken her during the night.

I decided that I wouldn't be able to sleep and sat down on the wooden rocking chair that was next to my mom's bed. All I could think about when I watched her was how she didn't deserve anything like this. After all that she had done for me and for everyone else, she was the last person to deserve this kind of sickness.

Tears rolled down my face while I remembered the day she told me she had cancer.

**_Flashback_**

_It was a warm July afternoon and Syd had just left my house to go have lunch with her dad while my mom entered somberly. Immediately I knew something was wrong with her. The look on her face and her tear stained cheeks made my stomach drop to the floor._

"_Mom? Mom what's wrong?" I asked concerned while I got up from the kitchen table to greet her._

"_Oh Michael… you better sit down for this." She responded softly._

_After putting her purse down on the kitchen counter, she sat down on the wooden chair opposite of mine._

"_Michael," She said seriously as she took both my hands in hers. "I didn't want to tell you this, but a couple of weeks ago, they found a lump in my breast at my yearly mammogram. I didn't want to concern you over nothing since I didn't know if it was serious or not. But, I went back to the doctor's today and they've confirmed that the tumor is cancerous."_

"_No!" I shouted while I got up from the kitchen table and pounded my first hard into the wall. "This can't he happening mom! Not to you. You don't deserve this."_

"_Michael, please." My mother pleaded as she walked to the other side of the table and tried to pull me into a hug. "I'm going to fight this. I have too much to live for, you hear me? I'm not going anywhere."_

"_I can't lose you mom." I cried. "I already lost dad. If I were to lose you I wouldn't be able to take it."_

"_Shhh… It's going to be ok, my son." She whispered._

_After I was finally able to compose myself, my mom informed me of what they were going to do to fight the cancer._

"_First, the doctor's have told me that I have every right to believe that I'm going to beat this. I am in stage II of breast cancer and the good news is the cancer hasn't moved to my lymph nodes. I'm going to have to go under chemotherapy for 8 weeks so the tumor can shrink. After that, I am going to have surgery to remove the tumor completely. Then, another 6 weeks of radiation to get rid of the remaining cancer cells." She explained._

_Slowly nodding my head, I took in the information she was telling me._

"_When do you start with the chemo?" I asked._

"_Next week Wednesday is my first session."_

"_Does that mean you're going to be sick and lose your hair?"_

"_Yes." She responded somberly._

_I kneeled down in front of her and grabbed both of her hands before speaking._

"_I'm going to take care of you mom." I promised. "Every step of the way."  
"I know you will Michael. When you go back to school in August, the hospital is going to provide me with a nurse to watch over me."_

"_No…" I shook my head. "I'm not going back to school. I'm going to stay with you. I'll take a semester off, mom. I don't care. I'm going to be here for you." _

"_No, Michael. It's fine. You need to go back and pursue your college education. I'm going to be fine." She refused._

"_Mom, let me take care of you. You can't convince me to leave because I'm not going to. I'm going to help you fight this."_

"_You are so stubborn. You are just like your father." She told me, shaking her head._

"_After dad died, I promised him I would take care of you. And that's what I'm going to do."_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

I couldn't shake the memory from my head as it played over and over in my head. The worst part of this whole nightmare was watching my mom's health disintegrate in front of my eyes.

Since I could remember, my mother had always been the cheerful type who was always active and smiling. Nothing ever could get her down. One of her best qualities was her strength and everyone admired it.

And, even though my mom was fighting with everything she had in her, she was slowly breaking down. The nausea was getting to her and she was ashamed that she was losing her hair. Her love was being in the kitchen and cooking, but she could no longer continue her favorite hobby, as the fumes from the food would make her sick.

I'd often have to order takeout for myself since my mom wouldn't be able to cook. The look in her eyes killed me when she saw that she could no longer provide my favorite meals for me. But, I told her that it was ok. I told her that after she gets better that she could go back to cooking everything her heart desired.

It was 5am when I finally left my mom's room and made it back to mine. I still couldn't sleep so I went on my computer instead. I so desperately wanted to hear Syd's voice, but didn't want to wake her knowing she would have to go to class the next morning. Instead, I chose to e-mail her to let her know I was thinking of her.

Although, I tried to hide it from my mom, I knew I was slowly getting depressed. It wasn't the type of depression that made me want to go jump off a bridge. But, I was constantly feeling sad and bummed out.

Besides the fact that I missed Syd to death, I missed how my life used to be 5 months earlier. I missed school, living in San Francisco, hanging out with Weiss and Francie, and not having to worry about my mom.

She would have chemo treatments every three weeks and for that one week after she had it, she would be miserable. I'd have to constantly be by her side to make sure that she was fine.

For those two weeks after that, it was like a glimpse in the past because she would be ok. She wouldn't be sick and she'd be able to do pretty much everything she had done before. Sometimes we were able to act normal and happy. But, once her treatment rolled around again, we were right back in the nightmare.

The one thing I wished was that Syd was with me and I wouldn't have to go through this alone. Although I had to force her to return to San Francisco, I needed her like never before. Somehow, I knew that if she was by my side, I would be ok. That I'd be able to get through this and know she wouldn't leave me.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated!**


	28. PART II Chapter 2

_Hi guys! I'm glad you're all enjoying the 2nd part. I know, sad. But things will get better. :) Thanks for all the reviews and the great comments! Enjoy-_

PART II- Chapter 2.

**Syd's POV**

The next morning, Weiss cooked me pancakes and eggs before class. I had to say, living with Weiss had its benefits since he actually was a pretty good cook. I kept thinking about how Francie and Weiss should have a little Iron Chef cook off cause they were both great chefs.

Turning on my computer to check my e-mail, I perked up in excitement to see one from Vaughn.

**Hey beautiful-**

**It's 5am in the morning and I can't sleep a wink, which isn't a big surprise to you. I need my girl next to me. Plus, I was making sure my mom was ok. She had another chemo session yesterday. It was her 5th one so she only has 3 more to go. The good thing is that they said the tumor is shrinking, but she's getting even more sick and weak.**

**Yesterday, she couldn't even walk into the house when I brought her in. She keeps trying to be upbeat and have a good attitude, but you can tell it's starting to get to her. Ever since she's been sick, Donovan has been sleeping by her bedside like he knows something is wrong. He won't leave her by herself. I told you Donny was special. Remember when we went to my neighbor's house to pick from the bunch of bulldog puppies? You wanted the one at the end because he had the most brown spots. But I knew the little puppy in the middle was special.**

**But anyways, I hope you're doing well. There's a three-day weekend coming up in a couple of weeks. You think you can come home so I can stop being miserable without you? I miss you so much Syd. You have no idea.**

**I know you have to get to class so I'll let you go. Have a great day!**

**I love you-**

**Vaughn**

A big smile appeared on my face from just getting an e-mail from him. Somehow he always had this way of putting cute things in his e-mails to make me happy.

Francie and I lucked out this semester because we were able to get into the same Business class. But, it also made it harder since we'd sit in the back of class and gossip about whatever was going on.

Francie also had a crush on the TA, which I declined to tell Eric since he was still holding out for her. I really was feeling for that poor Weiss. We both figured Francie would come around soon and just go out with him already.

I really did miss living with Francie. I missed going to her room in the middle of the night to tell her my random thoughts and her always being around to help me solve my problems. Living with Weiss was fun, but I really needed my best girlfriend around.

Her new roommate Emily, also known as the best friend stealer, turned out to be a pretty nice person. I took back all the mean things I assumed about her and actually grew to like her from the first couple of weeks we hung out.

After all of our classes were done for the day, Fran and I decided to go shopping since she thought I needed to be cheered up.

"Ok Syd, what do you think of this skirt?" She asked, holding up a dark khaki skirt as we filed through the racks at The Gap.

"It's cute. You should get that blue top with it." I answered.

I still didn't feel like picking out any clothes or spending any money. The whole time Francie was in the dressing room, I stared off into space thinking about Vaughn. If he were at the Gap with me, right about now he would've come out in a new button down shirt looking all gorgeous and asking me if I liked it.

The moment he told me about his mom's cancer was permanently imprinted in my mind as I looked back on one of the saddest days of our lives.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"_Sydney! Michael's here!" My dad yelled from the bottom of the stairs._

_Bouncing down the stairs in my shorts and tank top, I saw Vaughn standing in the middle of my living room._

"_Hey sweetie!" I greeted him._

_Immediately I knew something was wrong with him because his face was serious and his eyes looked tired. His forehead was covered in wrinkles and his hands were balled up in tight fists._

"_C'mon Vaughn. Let's go to my room." I suggested while taking his hand and leading him up the stairs._

_Whatever he wanted to talk to me about, I didn't want to disturb my dad and thought it was best if we did it in private._

_Vaughn took a set on my bed and looked down at his hands as I shut my bedroom door. Taking a seat next to him, I rubbed my hand up and down his back hoping it would urge him to talk._

"_Vaughn? Talk to me. What's going on?" I asked concerned._

"_My mom… My mom… she has cancer." He choked out, unable to hold back his tears._

"_Did she find out today? How bad is it?"_

"_She has breast cancer and the doctor's said she's in the second stage. She's going to have to go through chemotherapy starting next week." He explained._

"_I'm so sorry Vaughn. I'm so so sorry." I told him, wrapping my arms around him and letting him cry._

_Never in my life had I ever seen Vaughn cry the way he did. Gripping tightly to my body, he dug his head into my shoulder and wept loudly. It nearly broke my heart to see him like this. He looked so broken and devastated. All I could do was sit there and hold him in my arms._

"_She's going to get through this Vaughn. Your mom is one of the strongest people I know." I told him as I hoped it would make him feel better._

_After the tears had stopped and he was able to talk again, Vaughn sat next to me, gripping my hand like he never wanted to let go. In that moment, I could see how scared he was. I saw something different in his green eyes and for the first time, I could see fear._

"_I… ummm.. I'm going to need to stay with my mom when school starts again in the fall. I'm probably going to have to take a semester or two off until she's ok again. I can't leave her here." He told me sadly._

_A big knot formed in the top of my throat and I could feel it becoming tight. I didn't want to let Vaughn know how much that distressed me because he didn't need that right now. Instead, I supported his decision._

"_That's good Vaughn. She's going to need you." I told him._

"_I'm so sorry Syd. I know we planned on living together and everything…"_

_Before he could continue, I cut him off._

"_Don't do that Vaughn. You need to take care of your mom. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."_

"_I don't even know how I'm going to handle this…" He whispered._

"_You won't have to do it alone. I'm going to be here with you."_

"_But, what happens when you have to go back to San Francisco? I'm going to need you Syd."_

"_I know, sweetie." Planting a kiss on his temple, I ran my hands along his forehead to smooth out the concerned wrinkles._

"_She doesn't deserve this. I mean, why? Out of all the people in the world?"_

_I got off my bed to stand in front of him._

"_Vaughn, look at me. We can't control something like this. We can't take it away or deny that it's happening. All we can do is hope and pray for your mom. And she's going to beat this, you hear me?"_

_Nodding his head, he stood up and pulled me into a tight hug._

"_Thanks Syd.." He whispered into my ear._

_**END FLASHBACK**_

The slamming of the dressing door woke me from my walk down memory lane. Francie emerged holding all four jackets in her hand and one skirt.

"Ok, so you know how Sarah Jessica Parker dances around in all those Gap commercials and makes those jackets cute? Well, she's a liar cause these jackets are so not cute." She told me while she handed the clothes back to the salesperson.

"Guess you didn't like them, huh Fran?" I asked.

"No. They didn't look too great on me. C'mon, I'm tired of shopping. Let's go pick up Weiss and order a pizza."

Grabbing my hand to help me up, we made our way out of the mall. I was glad we were leaving since I wasn't in the shopping kind of mood. It was nice to get some alone time in with Francie though.

We swung by my new called home to pick up Weiss and the pizza. It was always nice having him around since he could always put a smile on my face no matter how I was. Part of me thought that Weiss missed Vaughn just as much as I did.

Sometimes at night, I would catch him staring at the other control of the X-box thinking about how much he missed his best friend. He tried to play it off like he didn't miss Vaughn. But, Francie and I both knew differently.

As soon as we walked in to the apartment, Weiss immediately took off his shoes and made his way to the couch.

"Can you guys bring me over a piece?" He shouted as he searched for the remote control.

Placing a couple of pieces on a plate, I trudged over to Weiss and handed to him.

"You are the best, Syd." He thanked me.

"No problem. Now scoot over. What are we watching tonight?" I answered.

The three of us had made it a habit to spend at least one night a week together with pizza and a movie. Somehow Emily was always out of the apartment and Weiss was the only one yet to meet her.

"When am I gonna meet your new roomie, Francie?" He questioned, looking around.

"How about right now?" A feminine voice answered behind us.

Weiss swiveled his head around and jumped off of the couch.

"Hi! I'm Eric. 19. Single. It's nice to meet you." He greeted.

"I'm Emily. It's nice to meet you too. Francie and Sydney talk a lot about you."

"Oh really? Cause you've been just a mystery to me. Are you going to join us?" He asked.

His tone was indeed flirty and the way he was eying Emily, I knew Weiss was developing a new crush. After all, Emily was cute. She was a short blonde, had a ballet dancer's body, and light blue eyes. We all knew Weiss' taste and she definitely fit the bill.

"Nope. I'm just running off to go meet one of my friends at the movies." She explained.

"Oh, must not keep your boyfriend waiting."

"I don't have a boyfriend. I'm meeting my friend Carla. I'll see you guys later."

And with that, she was out the door. Weiss came back to the couch with a sly little grin on his face.

"What the hell was that Eric? Can you get anymore obvious?" Francie told him in disgust with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"What the hell was what? I was just being friendly. You didn't tell me your roommate was that cute."

"Whatever." Francie mumbled. "She's not that cute."

Meanwhile, I sat back on the couch laughing because I knew exactly what was going on. Francie didn't expect Weiss to be all gooey eyed over Emily and she was feeling slightly jealous that she wasn't the one Weiss was crushing over.

**Vaughn's POV**

I spent the whole day restless not knowing what to do. The 7-mile run I had in the morning didn't even drain any of anxiousness nor did it tire me out. My mom was able to move around a bit and the sickness was subsiding. It was good news for us since she could finally eat and get some strength back.

As much as I missed Syd, I really did miss having Weiss around as well. Especially when that dumb foreign game show called Most Extreme Elimination Challenge came on late at night. We'd watch that show and laugh until our stomachs hurt and tears were coming out of our eyes.

I made Donovan my new best friend. And, as sad as the sounds, he made pretty good company. Sure, he wouldn't talk back or anything, but he was good for hugs and wet kisses.

Walking over to my computer, I flipped it on and found two new e-mails from Syd. One of them was her response to my previous e-mail and the other was an online greeting card. On the greeting card, a little rabbit jumped across a screen with a carrot in his mouth. Then it said, _"You'll always be my honey bunny." –Love, Syd._

She always had the cutest little ways of making me laugh with ridiculous greeting cards like that. Softly clicking on the mouse, I opened up her second e-mail with much anticipation.

**Hi Vaughn-**

**I'm just over Fran's place and the three of us, Francie, Weiss, and I are watching Die Hard 3. Of course you know who picked that. I wish you were here. You totally missed Weiss getting all flustered over Francie's new roommate. Someone has a crush on Emily. You should've seen the look on Francie's face. She looked so pissed.**

**School isn't that much fun so you're not missing anything. Midterms are already coming up. Can you believe that? I haven't had much time for studying but I plan on getting in some hours this weekend.**

**How's your mom doing? Sorry to hear she's feeling sick. That poor thing. The chemo treatment must take a hell of a lot out of her. When she's awake, tell her I said hello and give her a big hug for me.**

**This bed is too big up here for me. I keep rolling onto your side of the bed at night and expecting to bump into you. But you're not here and it's making me just as miserable. I put on an extra blanket just because the bed seems that cold.**

**I'll see if I can come home that weekend, but I don't know Vaughn. The schoolwork is killing me and I don't know if I can make it down. I want you to know that I'm missing you just as much. We'll be together soon, I promise.**

**I love you sweetie-**

**Syd**

I was pretty bummed out to see that she was skeptical about coming down to LA for the holiday weekend. I so badly wanted to buy a plane ticket up there, but I couldn't leave my mom alone. She needed me.

Needing to hear Syd's voice, I picked up my cell phone and dialed her number.

"Hello?" Her beautiful voice answered from the other line.

"Hey…"

"Hi sweetie! It's good to hear from you. I was going to call you earlier, but I didn't want to disturb your mom with the phone ringing in case she was sleeping or something." She told me.

"Oh it's ok. So are you still at Francie's place?" I asked, looking down at my shirt and pulling on a lose string.

"Yep. We're still here. Hey guys, say hi to Vaughn! HEY VAUGHN!" Two other voices greeted me in the background.

"Aww, I miss you guys."

"I know we all miss you too. Especially me. I must think about you a hundred times a day."

"Multiply that number by a thousand and that's how many times I think about you." I told her as I imagined the big smile on her face.

"God, Vaughn. This is absolute torture. I never thought about how hard this would be. I can't stand being away from you."

"I know Syd. I feel the same way. But, we're going to get through it and in no time we'll be back to living together. You just gotta have faith."

"Yeah… and I'll always wait for you." She sighed into the phone.

"Listen babe, I was just calling you to see what you were doing and I know you're watching a movie so I'll let you go. Call me tonight before you go to bed?"

"Always." She responded. "I love you Vaughn."

"Love you too, Syd."

**  
**

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated!**


	29. PART II Chapter 3

_Hey guys... I would've posted this last night, but the server said it was down. :( But that's ok... Here's the next update! And don't worry, thinks will look up. Enjoy!_

Part II- Chapter 3.

**Vaughn's POV**

Surprisingly enough, Jack came over on that Saturday afternoon to bring over some flowers for my mom and to have lunch with me. It was actually nice having him visit and seeing a familiar face. Much sympathy was in his eyes as he talked to my mom a bit.

Going out to the patio, we both took a seat opposite from each other while Jack pulled out a few cartons of Chinese food.

"Sydney told me that Chef Wang's was your favorite place to order from down here so I picked up a few dishes that you like." He told me with a small hint of a smile on his face.

I was astonished by Jack's kind gesture. It must have taken a lot for him to call up Sydney to ask what my favorite foods were and bring it over to my house.

"Thanks Jack. I'm really glad to see you. I've been pretty lonely down here by myself. I'm glad I'm taking care of my mom, it's just sometimes it's nice to have someone to talk to." I said, grabbing for the carton of fried rice.

"Listen Michael, I wanted to tell you that… if your mother or you need anything, please give me a phone call. I know how much you mean to Sydney and I'd really like it if I could do anything to help."  
"That's very kind of you and I will keep that in mind. For the most part, we are doing ok. She has a couple more sessions and then we have to get her strength up for the big surgery. But, she's doing terrific right now. My mother… she's a fighter." I explained.

"I know she is a strong woman." He admired while he scooped some chicken on his plate. "So tell me about this Eric Weiss and how good a roommate he is for my daughter."

And just like that, the tone had changed. I was expecting this to come up sooner or later. I had to get it over with sometime. I didn't know what situation would be better. Explaining how living with Weiss would be, or living with Sydney and explaining to Jack how that is.

"Eric is a great guy. He's my best friend and one of the best people on earth. I promise you that he'll take care of Sydney. If anyone is the safest and best to live with up in San Francisco, then it is definitely Weiss." I told him, hoping that it would convince him that Sydney was doing ok up there.

"I have every reason to trust your word since you would allow Sydney to room with another guy."

"Well, Eric is a fantastic friend and I trust him with my life."

Although I knew Jack was somewhat convinced, I was pretty sure he wasn't all certain about Weiss. I also was unsure on whether or not Jack would actually like it better if I were living with Sydney since he didn't know Weiss.

He had the most priceless face the day Syd and I told him we were moving in together. I'm sure he was trying to hide his disapproval. But, he did it well under his usual poker face.

**_FLASHBACK_**

_We waited for two weeks to finally build up our confidence to tell Jack about our living plans for the fall. We didn't want to spit it out right away when we got home, considering the last time we had a confession to him, it didn't go too well._

_That night, Sydney planned to cook dinner for the three of us and made sure her dad's wine glass was never empty. We wanted to get enough wine in him as possible so he wouldn't at least try and kill me on his first attempt._

_At the end of the meal, Jack was sitting back comfortably in his wooden chair looking quite content._

"_Dad… we have something to tell you." Syd said hesitantly._

"_What is it?"_

"_I have decided to move in with Vaughn in the fall. We thought it was best us since it will cut down on rent and make it easier for the both of us." _

_And there it was. I was waiting for chairs to be thrown or the earth to cave in and swallow me up. I was waiting for maybe a kick in the face or Jack yelling at me to get out of his house. Instead, all I got was silence._

_Oh no, the awkward silence, I thought. This is exactly what happened last time. Jack just sat there silent, as I'm sure he was boiling with anger last time. _

_Beads of sweat started dropping from my forehead as the anticipation of his reaction was just about killing me._

"_Well, if that's what you want to do and you guys have agreed on it, then that's fine. You are both grown adults and almost 20 years old. I know you are far capable of making appropriate decisions." Jack stated with a serious tone._

_My mouth nearly dropped to the floor after he told us that we were capable of making our own decisions. And there I was thinking he was going to shoot me or something. I came to respect Jack for telling us the truth because it looked like he had come a long way since his fight with Syd._

"_Thanks for being so supportive Dad. We didn't think you would agree with it." Syd explained._

"_I have come to realize that you and Michael wouldn't really listen to what I would have to say anyways. It is better we have it this way where we don't have to argue. I can't say that I am at all excited about it. But, if this is what you truly want to do, then I will support you. As long as you Mr. Vaughn, take care of my daughter."_

"_Oh, yes sir. Of course, I fully intend on taking care of Sydney." I responded._

"_Very well then. Thank you for being honest with me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to clean up these dishes."_

_Picking up all of our empty plates, Jack made his way into the kitchen. My hand was still gripping on to Syd's hand so hard I thought I was going to break it. _

"_Geez Vaughn, are you a little nervous?" She asked laughing at me._

"_Well, your dad isn't exactly the easiest person to talk to. I thought he was going to scold the both of us for our decision."_

"_I know, me too. But, he didn't. He's changed, hasn't he?"_

"_Yes, he has. I have to say I was pretty shocked at how accepting he was." I answered._

"_The hard part is now over. All we have to do now is enjoy our summer, roomie." _

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Thinking back at Syd's last statement made me laugh. The whole irony of it slapped me in the face. The entire time at dinner, I sat there thinking that telling Jack that Syd and I were moving in together would be the hardest thing I would have to do during that summer.

Boy, was I wrong. That was a piece of cake considering what I was going through now. Seeing my mom in that much pain alone made my heart ache. Being so helpless and knowing that I couldn't fight the battle for her killed me inside.

Jack awoke me from my thoughts by standing up from the patio chair.

"Well, this was nice. I have to get back to work, but it was really good to see you Michael." He said as he came around the table and shook my hand.

"Thank you Jack, for everything. For coming over here to see my mom and I and bringing lunch, I really appreciate it."

"Like I said before Michael, if you need anything, please call me."  
"I will." I answered.

"Keep the leftovers in the fridge for later when you get hungry. Maybe your mom will want the rest of that soup."

I walked Jack to the front door and thanked him once again. While on my way back to put the leftovers in the fridge, I could see that my mom had fallen asleep on the couch again. I stood there for a couple of minutes and saw how her sickness made her look older and frailer.

Taking my Kings blanket that hung over the back of the couch, I draped it over her small body and made sure that she wouldn't wake up cold.

**Syd's POV**

Weiss managed to drag me out of the apartment and brought me to the basketball park where him and Vaughn played all the time. I wasn't up to playing much basketball, but Weiss insisted that it would be fun and he would teach me how to shoot a free throw.

"Ok, so place your feet apart a bit and bend your knees." Weiss told me, bending down to put my feet in the right position. "As for your hands, you see these lines? Always have your fingertips lined up with these lines."

"Weiss, I'm telling you, I'm really going to suck at this." I warned him.

"Syd, you're one of the most athletic people I know. There's no way you can suck that bad at this."

"Ok, so what do I do next?" I asked.

"Put your left hand on the side of the ball to support it. Use your legs when you jump and follow through with your wrist, ok?"

"I think I got it."

Jumping slightly in the air, I threw the ball at the basket and missed by two feet.

"Wow." Weiss said, as he stood there astonished.

"C'mon! I told you I was going to be bad."

"I'm just kidding Syd. This is your first time. Jump up higher next time and try to follow through with your hand. Act like you're trying to drop your hand in the basket."

With more of Weiss' advance and encouragement, I was finally able to make a couple baskets. I hopped around the court happily and pleased that I was able to learn how to shoot a basketball.

For the rest of the time we were there, we played HORSE where Weiss let me win and told me that if he didn't let me win, Vaughn would beat him up.

"Nice job Bristow. You're almost as good as your boyfriend now." Weiss chuckled, starting up the car and heading home.

"Thanks for teaching me."

"No problem… speaking of Mike, I was talking to him last night and he wants you to go home next weekend. Are you going to fly down there?" He asked.

"I'm planning to. But, I'm going to surprise him."

"Ohhh, I love surprises! Can I come so I can see your surprise him?"

I glared at Weiss sideways to let him know that he wasn't invited to come home with me. In other circumstances I would love to bring him home so he could see Vaughn. But, since I hadn't seen Vaughn in a month and wanted some privacy, I was sure Weiss would understand.

"Never mind. You and Mike want some alone time. It's cool." He added. "So, how are you going to surprise him?"

"I'm going to tell him I can't make it down there because I have a project due the next week and have to work on it that weekend." I explained.

"Nice… that's a good excuse. Not too much detail."

"But, I need your help with something. I know the hockey season is opening this week and the Kings are in town that Friday I get home. I want to get tickets for Vaughn and I, but I don't know where to look."

"You have come to the right person Syd. We can order them online when we get home."

After a couple of hours of searching different online sites for Kings tickets, we finally found third row tickets for face value. I was so excited as I typed in my credit card number and printed out the confirmation sheet.

Going to a hockey game was going to be perfect for Vaughn since it would give him a chance to get out of the house and relax. It was also going to be the first time in a month and a half where we'd have a real date to go on

**_FLASHBACK_**

_It was two weeks before I had to go back to school on a warm August night. Vaughn's mom had recovered from her previous treatment and assured us that it would be fine for her to be on her own for the night._

_We walked down to the pier hand in hand, enjoying each other's company and savoring our last days together. Stopping for a moment, the both of us stood at the railing and watched the water softly hit the pillars._

"_I'm going to miss this." Vaughn whispered into my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist and laid his chin on my shoulder._

"_I know. But you know what? Whenever I come back home or you come visit me in San Francisco, our moments together will be that much sweeter."_

"_That's true." He answered. "You know what they always say, absence makes the heart grow fonder."_

"_I don't think my heart can grow any fonder, pal." I said, turning around in his arms so my back was pushed up against the railing and I could face him. _

_Bringing my hand up to his face, I ran my fingers gently around his jaw and felt his two-day stubble tickle my fingertips._

"_Can we just stand here forever and forget everything that is going on?" He asked me while we leaned our foreheads together._

"_I wish we could. I wish I didn't have to leave in a couple of weeks. I want to be down here with you. I need to be down here with you."_

_Our lips pressed together slowly in a sweet kiss. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pushed forward, wanting to taste him even more. When we finally pulled away, the both of us smiled and gasped for air._

"_C'mon. Let's go into the fair." Vaughn said as he took my hand and pulled me towards the couple dozens of tents._

_For the rest of the night, I watched Vaughn kick ass in every carnival game possible and was convinced there weren't that many things he couldn't do. He even managed to win the one where you have to knock down all of the milk bottles with one throw._

_While walking out the fair, I gave my armful of stuffed animals to the little kids walking by on the pier. I knew the children would enjoy them much more than I would and I couldn't resist their adorable smiles when I handed them the little teddy bears._

"_Thanks for taking me out Syd. This has been one of our best dates ever." Vaughn told me as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders._

"_You're welcome, sweetie."_

_Silence once again consumed us while we slowly walked home and stole sideways glances at each other. A hint of a smile was apparent on Vaughn's face and for the first time in a few weeks, I knew he was truly happy._

**_END FLASHBACK_**

Flopping down on my bed, I picked up my cell phone and dialed Vaughn's number. I needed to hear his voice and set up my plan for next weekend.

"Hey Syd." He answered on the second ring.

"Hey Vaughn. What's going on?"

"Nothing. Just sitting on the couch and reading my new ESPN magazine. Trent Klatt is on the cover." He informed me.

"Hmm, I take it someone is pumped for the new hockey season this week?"  
"I'm so excited Syd. This is the best time of the year. The Kings open up against the Sharks on Thursday night. I'm going to sit back, have a couple beers, and order a pizza."

"Sounds good." I responded.

"Your dad came over and had lunch with me today. It was really nice. I take it he told you about it?"

"Yep. He really wanted to do something nice for you and called to ask me what kinda food you would like." I explained.

"Yeah, it was really nice having him here and talking to him. He put me at a sense of ease…so what are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing. Just getting some schoolwork done. I called to tell you something though."

"What's up?"

"I know you wanted me to come down to LA next weekend since it's a 3 day weekend, but I don't think I'll be able to make it. I have a project due on that Tuesday and have to meet with my group the whole weekend."

It was silent on the other end of the line for a good minute and my heart almost broke. I knew Vaughn would be disappointed, but I didn't think he'd be crushed over it. I was ready to blurt out that I was just kidding when he finally answered me.

"Oh… ok. Well, that's ok Syd. Your school work comes first." I could hear the distress in his voice even though he was trying hard to hide it.

"I'm so sorry sweetie. I promise I'll make it up to you. Maybe I'll come home the weekend after so we can spend some time together."

I felt terrible for lying to Vaughn. Even though I was lying for a good cause and was looking forward to the joy on his face when I showed up on his doorstep, I still couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Hey Syd, I have to run. I need to warm some food up for my mom." I could hear him shuffling around in the kitchen from the banging of plates and pans.

"Alright. Call me later?"

"Yeah, of course. Bye Syd."

Hanging up my phone, the feeling inside me was bittersweet. I knew I disappointed Vaughn. The last thing I wanted to do was bum him out like that. He had enough going on in his life that he had to worry about. Shaking my head from the thoughts, I figured that it was too late to turn back now.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated!**


	30. PART II Chapter 4

_Thank you to all you wonderful, faithful reviewers. I've been meaning to update this sooner, but got a little busy. But, here it is and I hope you guys enjoy it. And yeah, I couldn't hold out on Syd and Vaughn being apart for too long. Writing a depressed Vaughn makes me sad, hehe. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!_

PART II- Chapter 4.

**Vaughn's POV**

After hanging up with Syd, I was so completely bummed out that there were no words to explain my sadness. The one thing I had to look forward to was my girlfriend coming back home and spending one weekend with me. I hadn't seen her in over a month and I was starting to believe I'd never see her again.

Slamming my fist down on my desk, I didn't realize how hard I'd done it until I looked at my hand and saw blood streaking down from my knuckles. I silently cursed myself under my breath and made my way downstairs.

My mother was sitting at the kitchen table knitting when I entered.

"Hey Mom. Do you want something to eat or drink?" I asked, while I reached into the fridge to grab some ice.

"No, I'm quite fine thank you." Glancing up at me, she saw the damage I had done to my hand. "Oh! Michael! What happened?" She squealed and tried to get up from the table.

"No, Mom. I'm fine. Just sit back down. I umm, hit my hand too hard on the desk."

I sat down opposite from her and placed the cool pack of ice on my hand. Watching my mom carefully work the needles with the yarn, I had come to realize how much my mom enjoyed knitting after she got sick.

"And why did you punch something my dear? Were you angry? You know your father used to do that sometimes and I would hate it." She told me.

"Yeah… I just got off the phone with Sydney. I was hoping she could come down to LA for this weekend since it's a holiday weekend, but she said she couldn't make it down."

"I'm sorry sweetheart. You know Sydney would never miss a chance to spend some time with you."

"I know, it's just I was looking forward to it so much. I miss her Mom. I can't even think clearly when she's not here." I explained, surprising myself of my own admission.

"That's because you are in love Michael."

I continued to sit there thinking about what my mom had just said. Of course I was in love with Sydney. Love was the greatest thing that ever happened to me once I got together with her. I just couldn't understand how something so amazing as love could also bring me the worst pain.

I needed Syd. And, as much as it's probably hard for other guys to admit that they need their girlfriends, I had no problem letting it out because it was the truth. I knew somehow that if Sydney were by my side at the moment, I wouldn't feel so helpless.

Although, at the beginning of my mother's sickness, I felt the exact opposite. I pushed her away when I needed her most.

**_FLASHBACK_**

_We were sitting on the beach letting Donovan run around. It was the week after my mom's first chemo treatment and she wasn't handling it well at all. I was handling it even worst, but kept all of my feelings bottled up inside of me._

_Syd had urged my several times that morning to talk to her about it. She said I'd feel better. Instead, I kept quiet and lead her to believe that everything was fine with me. Because Sydney had known me better than anyone else, she knew it was all a façade._

"_Vaughn… Vaughn I need you to talk to me. You can't keep doing this to yourself." She told me as she brushed a few hairs away from my forehead._

"_Look Syd, I already told you that I don't want to talk about it." I stated firmly._

"_You're keeping all of your emotions inside and that's not good for you."_

"_How do you know what's good for me?" I yelled as I stood up and walked away from her. "You don't see what she has to go through Sydney. You don't know how it feels and how much it hurts to see your mother be so sick and so weak that she can barely talk."_

"_So tell me Vaughn. I want to know!" She screamed back._

"_You can't keep pushing me like this! You're on my fuing back 24/7 to tell you how I feel and I don't want to do that. I don't want to talk to you about this. You don't understand."_

_I can feel her coming up to stand beside me. Placing her hand on my shoulder, she spoke softly in my ear._

"_So make me understand." She stated._

"_I can't. You'll never get it." I answered._

"_Fine. If you want to keep going on like this Vaughn, then I'm not going to help you. You keep pushing me away and I'm not going to stand here and let you do that to me. Call me when you decide to stop being such a jerk."_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Syd was completely right that day. I was being an asshole and I bottling up all my emotions like a typical guy. I just didn't want to break down in front of her. It was my job to take care of her, not the other way around. I was the man in this relationship I felt that she shouldn't have to see me cry.

Eventually, I came to my senses and wound up on her doorstep hoping that she would at least let me apologize.

**_FLASHBACK_**

_I knocked lightly on the door expecting to see Jack open it. It seemed that every time I went over Syd's house, which was practically everyday, he was there. I never remembered a time when we were growing up that Jack was actually around. Sydney was practically raised by her nanny who no longer worked for the Bristow's a few months after Syd left for San Francisco. _

_Instead of Jack swinging the door open, Syd opened it up, clad in Adidas sweats and a red sweatshirt. Oh, how I loved when she wore sweats and lounged around the house free of any makeup with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. It made her look so pure and beautiful._

"_Hey…" I greeted her quietly._

"_Hi." She responded, stepping back from the doorway to let me in. Without a word, she walked back to the couch and wrapped her pink blanket around her shoulders. Following closely, I took a seat next to her on the couch._

"_Look Syd. I came to apologize. I know you're completely pissed at me right now, and you have every reason to be. But, I was being stupid back there." I paused to turn to her. Still not glancing at me, I put my finger under her chin and turned her head so she could look at me. "I know I pushed you away. But, it's only because I don't want you to have to deal with my problems. I don't want to load them on your back and make you miserable too." I explained._

"_But Vaughn…" I put my hand up to wave her off._

"_No. Let me finish Syd. I was being like that… closing myself off to you because I don't want to look weak in front of you. I don't want to be less than a man or show emotions. It's just the way I am."_

"_Vaughn… you don't need to hide yourself from me. I know you're not some big emotional wimp. So let me help you." Bringing her hand up to my chest, she placed it over my heart. "Let me help you ease the pain that's built up in there."_

_**END FLASHBACK **_

**Syd's POV**

On Thursday morning, I began to pack a bag for LA. The previous night, I managed to grab an 8pm flight to LAX for cheap. Realizing that I didn't have any classes on Friday, I jumped all over the opportunity to go home a day early.

I didn't even know how I was going to react to seeing Vaughn again. It had been way too long and I was worried I'd jump all over him and never stop kissing him. Not that I minded that though and I was guessing neither would Vaughn, but I did want to actually talk to him and spend some time with his mother.

I was driving myself crazy with anticipation the whole day. Throughout my two classes, I was constantly tapping my pen on my desk anxiously and kept getting lost in my thoughts. My concentration level could've have been more shot and it would've been better off not going to those classes at all.

It was definitely one of those days where you sit in class for a hour and half, leave, and then realize you have no idea what the hell went on when you were there. It seemed that ever since I started dating Vaughn those days began to grow more common. All of my thoughts always drifted to him whether I liked it or not.

It was the little things that would make my smile. I'd see the initials M.V. carved into the back of a desk and smile on the inside. I'd often wear one of his sweatshirts on the days I was too lazy to dress up and smell his familiar scent on the collar.

Vaughn has always been one of those guys that naturally smells really good. Of course, mix in his aftershave and cologne and the smell is completely intoxicating. The one thing I loved to do in the morning was nuzzle his neck and just breathe in deeply a few times.

By the time 6pm rolled around, I literally ran out of the apartment and screamed at Weiss to move faster. I had to wake him up from his evening nap to drive me to the apartment.

Reaching the airport in 10 minutes, Weiss hopped out of the car and carried my luggage all the way to the ticket counter.

"Ok Syd. You're all set." He said as he hugged me. "Do me a favor and say hello to Mike for me."

"I will. Thank you so much Weiss. I'll call you when I get in on Monday."

"No problem. It'll be nice having the apartment to myself for a few days. I can walk around naked now." I threw my head back in laughter just thinking about Weiss strolling around the apartment with no clothes on and singing some U2 songs.

"Yeah, just do us a favor and don't sit on the couch." I responded before pulling out of his embrace.

With one final wave to him, I made my way to the gate.

I was way too excited to even sleep a wink on the plane. It wasn't like I had a lot of time anyway since the flight from SFO to LAX only lasted a little over an hour. I had to check my bag twice just to make sure I didn't forget the hockey tickets.

After three bags of peanuts and one diet coke, we finally arrived in Los Angeles. My hands were shaking so bad that I had a hard time holding on to my bag. I couldn't recall a time where my nerves were this bad. But, it wasn't a bad nervousness. It was a nervousness filled with anxiousness and anxiety.

I had thought about giving my father a call to give me a ride home from the airport. But, I knew he would insist on dropping all of my stuff at home first and having a late dinner with him. As much as I loved my dad and also wanted to see him, I could only focus on Vaughn.

Being able to get a cab couldn't have been any harder. There must've been at least 60 people in line and even though the cabs were picking up people quickly, it still felt like I was standing in line for days. It seemed that time was passing slower by the minute.

At last I reached the front of the line and patiently waited for the cab driver to pull up. A bright yellow taxi with red stripes drove closely to the curb as I stepped forward and threw open the door.

"529 King St!" I yelled without thinking. I could hardly take in that in less than 10 minutes I would finally be reunited with Vaughn.

**Vaughn's POV**

After getting my mom settled in bed and making sure she was comfortable, I immediately grabbed the phone and dialed the number to Pizza Hut. I had it timed perfectly. If the pizza were to arrive at 8:00 like it was supposed to, then I would have exactly 5 minutes to pay the pizza guy, tip him, and get comfortable on my couch before the Kings game started.

I had to say, watching the Kings game by myself had its benefits. I had the whole pizza to myself and didn't have to worry about giving up the last slice. Of course, it was a little different nowadays since I couldn't yell too loud at the TV in fear that I would wake my mom.

I couldn't have been more excited when the first face off started. I already had crammed a piece of pizza in my mouth and my lucky Kings t-shirt on. My lucky Kings t-shirt was the oldest shirt I owned. It was seriously at least 12 years old with enough holes in it to make it look like a rag. The purple script that once said Los Angeles Kings couldn't even be seen anymore. But, I was proud of my shirt.

As soon as I knew it, it was already the secondperiod The Kings were up 2-0 and I silently celebrated by myself. Luckily, Weiss was also watching the game and called me to ask if I saw the second goal.

"Hey Mike! Please tell me you saw Frolov's goal." Weiss familiar voice shouted from the other line.

"Of course I did. I'm telling you man this is the year. They look so good out there." I responded.

"I know dude. They do look smooth. We have to get some tickets to the Sharks sometime though. I like Marleau and Cheechoo. Those guys are pretty good."

"Yeah I know. The Sharks are going to be tough this year. Hey let me talk to Syd real quick. She's watching the game with you, right?" There was a long pause in the background. "Eric, hello?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm here."

"Let me talk to Syd real quick." I asked again.

"No! I mean, no dude. She's not here."

That was odd, I thought. She didn't mention to me that she was going anywhere when I called her this morning. She just told me that she was going to stay in and watch the hockey game with Eric.

"That's weird. Where'd she go?" I questioned curiously.

"She said she had to run out with Francie real quick. She'll be back later. I'll tell her to call you, ok?"

""Yeah man, ok."

Waving it off, I sat back on the couch and took a long swig of my coke. Donovan came strolling out of my mom's room a minute later and hopped on the couch with me. His adorable stubby tail was wagging wildly as I pet him under his chin.

"What's up Donny? You want to watch the game with me, boy?" I asked him while I scratched his ears.

He responded by licking and nudging my hand to continue. Eventually, he fell asleep on my lap and was snoring so loud that I had to turn the TV up a bit.

When the Sharks scored to tie the game at the end of the second period, I accidentally jumped up and scared the living hell out of Donovan. He immediately hopped off the couch and made his way back into my mom's room.

At the break I was so riled up that I had to go outside and cool off. The game was intense and the Sharks managed to tie it up at the end of the second period. I had to remind myself that it was only the first game of the season. But, I couldn't help but having that playoff vibe inside of me. Season openers were always like that for me growing up.

Taking a seat on my patio, I let the cool air calm me down as I looked up at the stars. It was a clear night and I managed to find the big and little dipper rather quickly. Syd and I always used to argue about the planets and the stars.

She used to insist that the bright lights of the airplanes flying high above were planets. Meanwhile, I would laugh at her and kindly remind her that planets don't really move that fast. We used to lie in her background in our sleeping bags and look for shooting stars when we were in middle school. I knew both of us were looking for a shooting start to wish on the same thing. We were both wishing that my father and her mother would somehow return.

I was naïve in those days. I thought that maybe if I prayed hard enough and never gave up, that my dad would come strolling back in the door. Eventually, I finally faced the reality that my father was never coming back.

As I sat there and looked up at the sky, I also came to the realization that I could lose my mother too. When she first got sick, I was terrified. I didn't want her to leave me here all by myself. But, inside I knew that my dad was the love of her life. And if she were to pass away from this sickness, I knew she would be entering heaven with a smile on her face.

A loud knock on the door is what awoke me from my thoughts. I quietly shut the sliding glass door that lead to my backyard and made my way to the front. Donovan came barreling out of my mom's room and ran straight to the door, ready to defend his territory.

Taking a glance down at my watch, I realized that was almost 9:45 at night. I couldn't figure out who would be coming over to my house at this time of the night.

"Hold on a second!" I yelled as I scooted Donny away from the door.

Swinging it open, I nearly fainted at the sight before me. Standing in front of me was Sydney, with a huge dimpled smile on her face and tightly holding her luggage bag at her side.

"Syd?" I squeaked out.

**Reviews are welcome and appreciated:)**


	31. PART II Chapter 5

_Ok, I couldn't hold out on your guys any longer. And since it's Alias day(woo hooo!) I decided to update. And hello to some new readers that reviewed last chapter. I'm happy to have you. :) And a response to **AFan17**'s review- I'd just like to say I'm a huge fan of Will's on the show and originally when I started this fic, Francie was supposed to be with him. But, ever since I introduced the Weiss/Francie friendship, there was quitea bit of feedback saying Weiss and Francie should hook up. I didn't even think of the idea before I read people's reviews. So, I twisted the story a little and had to make Will the bad guy. But I assure everyone, I'm a Will fan! Ok, enough rambling... enjoy the chapter!_

PART II- Chapter 5.

**Syd's POV**

"Syd?" Vaughn asked shocked, not really taking in that it was actually me standing on his doorstep.

"Yeah Vaughn. It's me." I answered slightly amused.

Suddenly, he came crashing into my body and wrapped his strong arms around my waist. Immediately dropping my suitcase, I swung my arms around his neck and embraced him tightly. I couldn't believe how good it felt to be back in his arms again. Nothing had ever made me feel so right and so safe.

We held each other silently for several minutes, not wanting to ruin the moment and savoring each other's company once again. I could feel Vaughn's heart fluttering against my chest as I played with the hairs at bottom of his neck.

When we finally pulled apart, Vaughn kept his hands on my hips and examined every part of my face.

"I can't believe you're here." He whispered while a single tear dropped from his eye. I was finally able to register the emotions he was going through.

"Are you ok?" I asked, wiping the tear away.

"Yeah… I'm just… so happy."

"I know, sweetie. I wanted to surprise you." Bringing my hand up to his face, I stroked his cheek with the pad of my thumb.

"C'mon. Let's go inside. It's getting cold out here." Vaughn said, picking up my luggage from the floor and leading me inside.

A half empty pizza box and a two empty coke cans were strewn out on the coffee table as I looked around his family room. I could tell Vaughn was the one taking care of the house since everything wasn't as tidy as usual. It wasn't like he was a slob or anything, but Amélie always liked things perfectly clean.

"Is your mom sleeping?" I questioned, looking around to see if there was any sign of her being awake.

"Yes, I helped her into bed a couple of hours ago. She was tired."

Plopping myself down on his leather couch, I looked up to see him standing by the staircase just staring at me. The light in the room was much brighter than his porch and it was the first real good look I could get of him since I arrived.

His hair was a lot longer and of course adorably messy. His face had been unshaven for a few days as the stubble was really creeping up on him. But his eyes… his beautiful green eyes looked tired. Dark circles were starting to form at the bottom of his eyes and while there weren't many times that Vaughn didn't look good, I could tell he wasn't at his best.

"You going to stand there all day or are you going to join me on this couch?" I asked chuckling.

Slowly striding towards me, Vaughn planted himself next to me and swiftly leaned his face in for a kiss. I really was waiting for him to do that. Going over a month without his kisses was like going a month without any food or water. I starved for them.

Our kiss started out slow like we were familiarizing ourselves with each other again. But, it soon turned more passionate as both of our pent up emotions came pouring out of us. We kissed each other hungrily for several minutes until we were sure our lungs were going to burst.

"God, I missed you." Vaughn said, still leaning his forehead against mine.

"I missed you too." I responded.

Planting a kiss on my forehead, he turned back to the TV to check out the score of the Kings game.

"Shit, the Sharks scored again. They're up one now." He announced.

"There's plenty of time left for them to score another goal." Looking down at his frayed and ripped up shirt, I began to laugh. "I can't believe you still wear that! You can't even see any of the writing."

"I know. But it's good luck Syd! My mom tried to buy me a new one last year and I refused. Here, look at this." He turned his body slightly and pointed down to his hip. A big hole, about three inches wide, sat right above the bottom of the shirt.

"Vaughn, that's horrible. You need another shirt." I joked with him.

"I'll get another shirt when the Kings win the cup."

We finished out the rest of the game on the couch, cuddling under the heavy Kings blanket, and stealing kisses during commercials. Just my presence alone caused Vaughn to settle down a little. He wasn't sweating as much or yelling at the TV the last period.

A disappointed ending to the game ticked Vaughn off a bit, but he soon forgot about it as he clicked the TV off and led me upstairs to his room. It was dark, causing me to almost stumble back down the stairs and bringing Vaughn with me. Luckily, I was able to catch the railing after I accidentally missed a step.

Bringing my bag to the foot of the bed, I bent down to open it and grab my sleep clothes. Suddenly, I could feel Vaughn grabbing at my elbow and before I could say anything, his lips were crashing into mine.

His need for me was apparent as he kissed all around my face, not stopping once for a breath. My body responded immediately to his touch. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I forced my body into his, trying to get as close as possible.

I gasped as his cold hands found it's way under my shirt and on my bare skin. Nipping and biting at his jaw, I too wanted to feel his warm skin under my hands and slipped my hands in the front of his shirt. His abs felt even stronger and more defined than the last time I had seen him.

Not wasting any time, I stripped his shirt over his head and stepped back a little to get a good look at him. The soft glow of the moonlight crept in from between the blinds as I examined every inch of his flawless body.

I slid my hands up and down his arms, realizing how much weight he had lost. And although he looked as good as ever, I could see that he dropped around 10 pounds since I left.

Without even telling him, he knew exactly what I was thinking while he took a seat at the edge of his bed.

"I know. I lost a lot of weight." He stated, grabbing at my hips and attempting to undo the buttons at the bottom of my shirt.

"Have you been eating?" I asked while I almost lost all sense of thought from the feel of his knuckles skimming across my bare stomach.

"I haven't had much of an appetite lately, but I've been trying. It's just I've been running a lot more and lifting weights. It helps me deal with all of this." He explained.

Suddenly, Vaughn stood up and pushed my shirt off of my shoulders. Bringing his lips down, he kissed his way around my shoulder blades and then around my neck.

"You need to take care of yourself Vaughn."

"I… know… I promise… I will." He choked out in between kisses.

Our lips finally reunited while I pushed him back causing the both of us to fall softly on to his bed. Making quick work of his belt buckle, I threw it to the floor causing a loud thud sound. Big smiles were planted on both of our faces when we were completely rid of each other's clothes and under the warm blankets.

As our bodies lay closely together, I continued to lie there, staring at his gorgeous face, and taking in every single detail of what was happening. I knew that once I returned back to San Francisco that I could carry this night with me forever and look back at this when I started to think I could no longer go on without him.

Our coupling that night was exactly as I pictured it would be. It wasn't rushed or quick. It was passionate, full of love, and much needed by the both of us. It was a way of healing the pain in our hearts and the loneliness we both had felt over the past month.

**Vaughn's POV**

Syd's eyes were closed, but I knew she wasn't sleeping. Our fingers were entwined in the middle of our bodies while her warm hand covered my chest, just right above my heart. It was the first night, in all of the nights where she was absent from my bed, that I actually felt like I could fall asleep. But, I didn't want to sleep. I didn't want to wake up the next morning and open my eyes to only find out it was my dreams playing tricks on me again.

Running my hands through her smooth chestnut hair, I lightly scratched the top of her scalp, knowing how much she loved it when I did that. Her eyes soon fluttered open as she gave me a big smile.

"Vaughn, do you know how gorgeous you are?" She whispered, bringing her hand up to play with my ear.

"Thanks for noticing now." I joked.

"I'm serious. I've probably stared at your picture a million times a day since I've been gone, but it doesn't do you any justice."

I watched her eyes roam all over my face, paying particular attention to my eyes, and then along my jaw, down to my chin where I assumed she was looking at my chin dimple. I never understood her obsession with that thing. I didn't think it was that big of a deal.

"I think you need a haircut." She stated, breaking the silence and surprising me.

"What? You just said I was gorgeous?"

"You are. But your hair is going past the top of your ears. Isn't it bothering you?"

"No, not really. I haven't even thought about it." I responded as I took a moment to run a hand through my hair.

It had gotten quite lengthy. I was too busy worrying about everything else to go and get a haircut. Besides, my usual barber that I went to in LA had retired and I hadn't bothered to find a new person to replace him.

"And you haven't shaved in about three days. I can tell. You have your three day stubble." I could see her nose wrinkling after she said that, making me start to laugh.

"What is this? Pick out all of Vaughn's flaws?" I chuckled.

"No. I'm just worried about you." Her tone soon turned serious and I could tell she wasn't joking around anymore.

"I'm fine Syd, really. Now that you're here with me, I haven't felt this way in a long time. Being with you… right here and now… it's overwhelming. For the first time in a month I feel like myself again." I explained, propping myself up on one elbow.

"But, what happens when I leave Vaughn?"

"I don't know."

Sitting up and bringing the sheet with her, Syd sat against the headboard and clasped her hands tightly in her lap.

"Listen to me. I know what you're going through is rough Vaughn. I can't even imagine how you deal with it. And I know how hard it is being away from each other. Almost every night I find myself tearing up because I can't stand not having you with me. But, you need to take care of yourself. I know you're putting your mother first and that's the thing I love most about you. You sacrifice yourself for the ones you love." Turning to face me, she grabbed my loose hand and entwined it with hers.

"God Vaughn, if something were to happen to you, I wouldn't know how to survive. And if you don't start taking care of yourself, then you're going to get sick and that's not going to help anyone out."

I could see the tears welling up in her eyes and I knew I had to ease her fears. Syd knew me better than anyone and could see right through my lies. If I were to tell her I was ok, she wouldn't believe me. I had nowhere to go but to admit the truth.

"You're right, Syd. I haven't been paying much attention to myself these days and I'm sorry. I don't want to worry you. It's just, I've been so busy worrying about my mom and missing you to even care about myself these days." I explained. "But, I know how much you're concerned about me and I don't want to do that to you. I promise you… I promise that I'm going to be ok. Tomorrow starts the day I'll begin to take care of myself."

"You'll start eating normal meals again." She stated.

"Yes."

"You'll get more sleep."

"Yes."

"You'll clean yourself up a little bit?" She joked.

"What? You don't like my long hair? I know you like my stubble." I teased, giving her my best smirk.

"I do like your stubble, but it's a little too long and scratchy for me."

"Ok, I'll shave tomorrow."

Leaning closer to me, our lips touched softly. A long yawn escaped from my mouth, breaking the kiss and causing us both to laugh.

I lowered myself back on the bed and brought Syd with me. Wrapping my arms tightly around her body, I could feel her head resting right at the crook of my neck. I planted one final kiss on her forehead before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

By the time I woke up again, I felt like I had gotten a day's full of rest. Taking a peek at my alarm clock, I realized it was only 7:30am. I was never a morning person before, but ever since I started sleeping in the same bed as Sydney, I always found myself being wide awake at the first sight of her.

I didn't know how she always managed to sleep with a hint of a smile on her face and look so comfortable. I was always one of those restless sleepers. My neck would always hurt in the morning for sleeping wrong and when I would wake up, my sheets would be wrapped around my whole body twice because I was rolling around during the night.

Syd also had this way of never looking tired when she woke up either. I swear, she opens her eyes and looks completely refreshed and beautiful. Whenever I didn't get a good night of sleep, it would be obvious because my eyes look red and tired.

Gushing over how beautiful Sydney is was a habit for me. And although she was absolutely stunning on the outside, her heart was always the one that attracted me the most. Her sweetness reeled me in and I haven't been able to recover since.

Several moments later, her beautiful eyes opened up and she began to stretch her arms out in the air.

"I'm so used to waking up in the morning and you not being there." She said smiling, leaning in for a good morning kiss.

"I know. I was watching you sleep for a little bit. I'm still shocked that you're here because, well, you lied to me."

"Vaughn, I didn't lie to you. I fibbed. And, that was only because I wanted to surprise you."

"Yeah you got me, I was surprised. If I wasn't so into the hockey game, I would've taken you straight up to my room." Pushing my shoulder playfully, she feigned anger.

"Oh, so you were only happy to see me because you wanted to get me in bed?"

"No!" I defended myself. "I was happy to see you for more reasons that that. But, can you blame me for thinking that way? It had been a month…"

"Yeah, well next time it's going to be more than a month if you keep that up."

I knew she was just joking around. Even though Syd was great at keeping her emotions in check, she could never hide anything from me. Playfully grabbing her wrists, I maneuvered my body on top of hers.

"You… can… never… be… mad at… me." I spit out in between planting wet kisses on her neck.

"That's not fair, Vaughn. You're using my weaknesses."

I let go of her wrists, planted a hard kiss on her mouth, and then gave her my smart-ass smile.

"Still mad at me?" I asked confidently.

"Yes. And now you don't get your present."

"What present? You got me a present?"

"I did. But now you're never going to get it since you're acting like a hormonal teenager!"

"Awww, Syd!" I whined. "So where's my present? You only brought one bag."

Her eyes immediately lit up, giving it away. Before she could move, I bolted out of bed and lunged straight for her bag. Syd couldn't do much but watch since she lacked having any clothes on and had only a sheet to cover up, making me thankful I slipped on my boxers during the night.

Ruffling through every part of her bag and even encountering her lingerie, I finally zipped open the side pocket and found a single, white enveloped. My eyes widened in disbelief as I stared at the two Kings tickets in front of me.

"Wow! HOCKEY TICKETS!" I yelled, raising the two tickets in the air to examine them better. "Holy shit! 3rd row? You're the best girlfriend ever."

Jumping back on the bed, I tackled Syd and began to place kisses all over her face. I was so shocked she would even do such a thing for me.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I repeated myself, still kissing her and causing her to giggle.

"You're welcome, you punk. I was going to give you them last night and then… got distracted."

"How did you get such great tickets? I can't believe you got us tickets for tonight's game. You were planning this weeks ago, weren't you?"

"Yeah. I asked Weiss for help with the tickets a couple of weeks ago. We found a private seller selling these for face value. I figured it'd be a great way to cheer you up." She explained as she ran her hands through my messy hair.

"Seriously Syd, you didn't have to get these for me. Let me pay you for it. They're still way expensive." I told her seriously, feeling guilty she spent so much money on me.

"No… you deserve this. You deserve a night out and I thought this would be the perfect date for us. You need a break from all of this. It'll be fun and good for you."

Giving her one final kiss, I stroked her face with my thumb and thanked her once again.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	32. PART II Chapter 6

_I have the fattest headache right now. And it's one of those where it's sitting over your eye and it affects your vision. It's so bad, haha. Anyways, forget my rambling. Here's an update! These chapters like this one, the last one, and the ones coming up have been so much fun to write, I can't even tell you guys. Hello to some new readers! Saw some new names on the review list and you all rock so much! I can't tell you how much it means to me that you all review. :) Enjoy the chapter!_

Part II- Chapter 6.

**Syd's POV**

"Francie… Francie calm down and talk slower." I said into my phone, wondering what the hell Fran was screaming at.

After having breakfast with Vaughn and catching up with Amélie in the morning, I came home to wait for my dad to come home after work. While I was just about to doze off on the couch, Francie called me and started frantically rambling.

"Ok. I said, that Weiss is taking out Emily tonight." She yelled too loudly.

"What? Weiss and Emily? When did Weiss tell you?"

"He didn't! Since you're gone this weekend, I asked Em if she wanted to go to the Metreon with me tonight cause they have the new Apple store and I was thinking about picking up an iPod. Anyways, she answers me in her snotty voice saying, 'Oh I'm sorry, I'm going out with Eric.' And I was like, 'Eric who?' And she said, 'You know, your friend Eric Weiss.' I swear to go Syd, I almost fell to the floor when she said that."

I could tell Francie was steaming. I had to hold my mouth to cover up constant giggling. Fran really had Emily's voice down good and I found her jealousy all too amusing. If she would've just got with Weiss in the first place, she wouldn't be in this position.

"Well, they're both single Fran. They can do whatever they want." I told her, knowing she was about to blow up on me.

"How can you say that? Weiss had a crush on me. Weiss wanted to go out with me. Not her! He doesn't seem so into me anymore since he's taking out my roommate. He's just doing this to get back at me."

Picking at a lose string on the bottom of my shirt, I listened to Francie's heavy breathing, knowing that she's stomping around her room and throwing things against her door.

"I'm sorry Fran. But, Weiss is a good guy. He wouldn't do that to you."

"Seriously Syd, out of all people he had to take out, it had to be Emily? I mean I'm going to be here when he picks her up. I don't want to see any of this. And what if she invites him upstairs after their date and I find them making out on the couch?"

Francie was now at the point where her voice was raising in anger and I was forced to pull the phone back from my ear so I could keep my hearing in check.

"They're not going to be making out on your couch. Calm down Fran! I hate to say it, but it sounds to me like you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous!" She denied. "I'm not jealous at all. Eric can go out with whomever he wants. I'm just angry he's going out with Emily because she's my roommate."

"So you're telling me that if you saw Weiss with any other girl, say that girl with the short brown hair that sits in the front of our business class, you wouldn't be jealous at all?" I asked, knowing this would break her.

"No… Of course not…" There was a long pause at the other end of the line. "Ok maybe just a little."

"Admit it Fran, you're jealous that Weiss is taking out Emily and not you and now you're starting to regret pushing him away when he was chasing after you."

"Ughh! Why do you have to be right?" She groaned.

Hearing the garage door opening, I immediately informed Francie that I had to go.

"Hey sweetie, I have to go. My dad is home and he doesn't know I'm here yet. I'll call you later, ok?"

The heavy footsteps of my father trudging through the kitchen could be heard all the way from my family room. He had no idea I was home and I didn't want him to have a heart attack by jumping out of nowhere.

Making my way to the kitchen, I saw him standing over the counter, fingering through the pile of mail.

"Hey dad!" I greeted him cheerfully as I walked over to embrace him.

"Sydney! What are you doing home? Is everything ok? I had no idea you were coming."

We hugged for a good few minutes as my father's familiar cologne filled my nose. He had been wearing that cologne since I was a little girl. I remembered going to bed as a young child and inhaling his musky cologne after he tucked me in.

"It was a last minute decision. I wanted to surprise Vaughn since it's a three day weekend."

"Why didn't you call me from the airport this morning? I could've picked you up. What time did your flight come in?" He questioned, placing his keys and wallet on the table.

"Actually, I came in around 9:45 last night. I umm, spent the night at Vaughn's house."

Looking down at my shoes, I immediately felt the heat come up to my face. Of course my father knew I had spent many nights with Vaughn at his house and up in San Francisco. We even planned to live together. But still, it didn't help with the awkwardness of the situation.

"I see. How is Michael doing by the way? He must've been glad to see you."

"Vaughn's doing ok. He's lost a little bit of weight. I don't think he's been paying much attention to himself these days, but he'll be fine. He promised me that he'd start taking care of himself." I explained, thanking god that my dad didn't bring up the whole spending the night at Vaughn's place issue.

"Well, he's a grown boy Sydney. I'm sure he can take care of himself. I assume you two have plans tonight?"

"Yeah. We're going to the Kings game tonight. I got these really great seats for us in the third row and I wanted to do something special for him."

A slight smile appeared on my dad's face as he looked at me and nodded. Somehow, I think he understood how hard it was for us to be apart and wasn't angry at my impulsive decision to fly down to LA. Although, a part of me felt guilty that I was planning to spend all my time with Vaughn and didn't even consider visiting with my father.

"Look dad, I know I'm going out with Vaughn tonight, but do you want to have lunch tomorrow? I could cook something here for you or we can go to an early brunch at Stack's if you like. I really want to spend some time with you." I was hoping I sounded sincere because I was. I didn't want my dad to think I was blowing him off for my boyfriend.

"That's fine Sydney. I have some work to do tonight anyways."

And with that, my father planted a kiss on my forehead and made his way up the stairs.

**Vaughn's POV**

I raced around my house excitedly, grabbing everything I needed for the game. Silently going through the checklist in my head, I made sure I had my lucky shirt on under my sweatshirt and prayed I wouldn't have to take my sweatshirt off during the night. Even though I loved my old, gray t-shirt, I wouldn't want to be caught dead in public with that rag on.

Planting a kiss on my mom's cheek, I made sure she had everything she needed.

"Ok Mom. If you need me, my cell phone is on. We should be back around midnight so you'll probably be sleeping by then."

"Michael… stop worrying and have fun tonight. I'm just going to watch a little TV and finish this scarf for your Aunt Trish." She assured me, holding up the dark green yarn to show me.

I ran my fingers down the soft, half-done scarf my mother was making for my Aunt. The ends grew into long fringes with little sparkles inhibiting the yarn.

"You're smiling." My mom stated as she gave me a suspicions smirk.

"What? It's not like I never smile."

"You haven't smiled like that in a long time. Every since… a certain someone had to go back to school." I knew what she was implying and yes, she was right. When Sydney was around, she made me a whole different person.

"I missed her, that's all."

"I know you did sweetheart. I was just noticing that it's good to see you happy again."

Syd was sitting down on the stairs of her porch when I pulled up. I had to refrain from laughing at seeing how bundled up she was. Her hair was down and tucked behind both of her ears. A big, brown scarf enveloped her neck as her puffy jacket was tightly zipped to the top. I had to admit, she looked adorable in her hockey game attire.

Jumping out of my car, I swung around the other side and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"I know we're going to a hockey game Syd, but I didn't think we were taking a ski trip after this too." I joked, knowing I was about to get socked in the arm.

"Vaughn, we're sitting 5 ft. away from the ice. It's going to be freezing."

"Yeah, but it's not like we're sitting in snow." Laughter escaped from my mouth as she crossed her arms and attempted to act angry with me.

"Fine, when you get cold at the game, I'm not going to cuddle with you."

I shook my head at her and smiled. Sometimes she was so stubborn, a little too stubborn occasionally.

A comfortable silence filled the car for a couple of moments while we drove to the Staples center. I knew Syd was listening closely to the radio since they were beginning to give out information on the new Coldplay CD coming out in a month.

When the DJ finally stopped talking, Syd turned to me and ran her hands through my freshly cut hair.

"It looks good. It doesn't look so un-kept anymore." She said, bringing her hand down to my neck to lightly massage it. "So, guess what Francie told me when she called earlier on?"

"What? Weiss asked her to marry him?"

"No… he asked out her roommate and they're going out tonight. Francie was screaming into my ear when she called."

"Wait, Emily? He asked out Emily? I haven't even met her yet. Didn't you say Weiss was into her though?"

I was taken back by the news of Weiss having the guts to ask out another girl, other than Francie. I couldn't imagine him really being into anyone else at the moment. The last half of the spring semester he was practically pining after her.

"Well, I didn't think he was that into her. He never even discussed any of this with me. Did he tell you?" Syd questioned.

"No, he hasn't said a word. So Francie was pissed?"

"Yeah, she was fuming. She was going on and on about how disrespectful it is for Weiss to go out with Emily. She said he didn't even let her know. Emily was the one that told her when Fran was inviting her to go shopping. I think Francie is jealous."

"She doesn't really have a right to be jealous. He's the one that wore his heart on his sleeve and Francie didn't give him a chance." I stated.

"That's what I told her. I just hope Francie doesn't throw a fit if Emily invites Weiss back up to the apartment after their date."

"You do know if Emily and Francie start fighting, Eric might grab a chair and open up a beer. He'll have no intentions on breaking it up." Knowing Weiss, I could actually see him in my head encouraging the two girls to start pulling each other's hair.

"I'm just praying this doesn't cause any trouble. It's bad enough not having you there, if Francie and Weiss are fighting, I don't know what I'm going to do."

The bright lights of the Staples Center came into view as we pulled off the freeway and drove straight into the parking lot. A sea of people who were flooding the entrance were all decked out in purple and black. A sense of pride washed over me as I watched all of the kids bouncing around happily, waving Kings pennants and holding on to their parents hands.

Even though it made me miss my father and the days he would take me to hockey games as a young child, it also made me smile to see little kids bonding with their fathers at a sporting event.

The cold chill of the ice hit both of our faces as soon as we took our seats. I couldn't believe the view. It actually felt like I was sitting on the ice and the players were going to crash into me. Syd gripped my hand tightly as the both of us looked around the giant arena.

It just happened to be rally towel night at the game where all of the ticket takers handed us white towels as we entered the arena. Thousands of people were already waving their towels in the air, yelling obscene comments to the other team.

"Oh my god Sydney. These seats are awesome!" I yelled, pulling her head in and placing a kiss on her temple.

"I knew you would love it. You also have to thank Weiss though. He's the one that found them."

"Seriously… thank you. I mean, this is perfect. Just you being here makes everything ok Syd." I searched her eyes while waiting for her to respond. Instead, she threw her arms around my neck and pulled me into a tight hug.

"You're welcome, sweetie. Now go buy me some Nachos cause I'm hungry." She laughed, pulling back to kiss me on the cheek.

"Ok, I'll be right back."

I couldn't have had a better date in my life. Not only did the Kings kick ass, I sat in the best seats any die-hard hockey fan could ask for with my beautiful girlfriend right there next to me. There were a few times where I couldn't contain myself and stood up to scream at the refs, but for the most part, I didn't want to embarrass Syd. She wasn't that experienced at hockey games and there was no way I didn't want to scare her away from going to games with me.

Often times I would be sitting on the edge of my seat, watching the players skillfully skate on the ice and catch Syd staring at me from the side of my face. Purposely, I would smile, but never let on that I noticed. Finally, at the end of the second period when I could no longer ignore her staring, I turned to her and said, "What?" knowing there was something on her mind.

Smiling to herself, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and responded with, "It's nothing."

**Syd's POV**

Vaughn looked like a little kid at the hockey game. His eyes were wide open and he bit his nails nervously when the other team was attacking the Kings goal. I didn't even remember watching the last half of the game. I couldn't tear my eyes away from his smiling face.

For weeks Vaughn sounded miserable on the phone and through e-mails. I so desperately wanted to comfort him and take away his pain. But, I couldn't do any of that. I wasn't around for him and it nearly killed me knowing that I wasn't doing everything I possibly could for him.

He was like a whole different person when I arrived. The pain in his eyes were evident, but they seemed to slowly fade away as I watched him over the last two days. If only I could just forget about college and be with him, I knew everything would be ok.

"That wasn't high sticking!" Vaughn yelled while he stood up and waved his arms in the air just as the rest of the Kings fans were doing.

Instead of joining in on the booing, I laughed at Vaughn. No one in the world could have more passion for hockey than my boyfriend. His love for hockey, at times, made me feel like I was taking a back seat to his favorite game.

When the final minutes of the clock ticked down and the Kings players closed out their win, I continued to stare at Vaughn. His flawless looks never failed to take my breath away when I looked at him.

Turning to me, after finally noticing my staring, he smiled and asked, "What?"

All I could do was respond with a simple, "It's nothing." But, in my heart I knew it was the complete opposite. He was everything.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	33. PART II Chapter 7

_College sucks. That's all I have to say, haha. I have term papers due and studying for finals is driving me crazy. This fic is the only thing that's keeping me sane. :) Enough ranting... enjoy the chap and thanks for reviewing!_

Part II- Chapter 7.

**Vaughn's POV**

Once again, on Sunday night, I couldn't sleep. But it was different this time. It wasn't because I was restless or miserable or worried. I wasn't any of those things. I had a sense of peace and calmness over me. Maybe it's because Syd was lying right next to me in bed with her legs tangled up in mine and her head resting on the middle of my chest. Or, maybe it was because I knew that when I drop her off at the airport in 6 hours, that I'm going to be ok when she leaves.

Taking a peek at my clock, I saw that it was around 4am. I managed to get in a whole hour of sleep. I knew I wouldn't be able to get back into deep slumber again, so I carefully slid out of bed and made my way down stairs.

Grabbing the blanket off of the couch, I quietly opened the front door and plopped down on the hard wooden bench on my porch. The night sky was too filled with fog to see any of the stars or planets. I could tell the winter season was about to make its appearance by the cold, crisp air hitting my face.

Syd and I spent the previous day just holding each other and taking in every moment that we possibly could. Both of us knew we were going to have to be separated again and that it would be another month before she could come home for Semester break.

While the thought of being away from her again wasn't comforting, I knew that it wasn't going to be so bad this time.

_**Flashback**_

_Tears were spilling down her face as I watched her hug her father tightly near the front door. For a long time, Syd and Jack never showed much emotion towards each other. I knew Sydney loved her father and desperately wanted to build a relationship with him again. Finally, this summer, she was able to share the time with the father she always wanted and needed._

_With one last kiss on the cheek, she pulled away from Jack and walked slowly to my car. I rubbed her back soothingly as I opened up the passenger's seat and helped her in. _

_My eyes were already red and puffy from the previous hours of crying. Syd and I stayed up all night, attempting to comfort each other and wiping each other's tears. It's not like I wasn't going to see her again or that she was going away forever. But, I couldn't help but feel almost lost knowing she wasn't going to be by my side. For the first time that we've been best friends, we were going to be separated and I couldn't bear the feeling._

_The whole ride to the airport, Syd silently cried to herself, holding tightly onto my hand and staring straight out her window. I so badly wanted to tell her everything was going to be ok, comfort her, do anything to make her feel better. But, the knot in my throat seemed to prevent me from speaking. All I could do was squeeze her hand tightly and hope that was enough._

_Pulling up to the curb, I hopped out of my car and took out her luggage from the trunk. I didn't care about leaving my car in the loading zone only. I couldn't have cared less if they put a ticket on my windshield. _

_With Syd's luggage in one arm and my other wrapped securely around her shoulders, I stayed silent while she checked in and grabbed her ticket. I absolutely dreaded the sight before me. Because of all the new security rules, I was prevented from walking her to her gate and had to say goodbye at the security check._

_It seemed that all the eyes were on us as we walked hand in hand to the checkpoint, wishing we could get at least one more day together._

_Just as I was about to say something, Syd dropped her purse on the floor and threw her arms around my neck. She sobbed loudly into my chest, soaking the front of my t-shirt. I tightly wrapped my arms around her waist and buried my head in her shoulder. _

_Despite my attempt not to cry, the tears came pouring from my eyes and there was no way of stopping it._

"_I can't believe we're doing this Vaughn. We're acting like I'm never coming back." Syd joked, trying to lighten the mood._

"_I know. Just think how bad it would've been if we didn't go to the same college."_

_Our laughter soon turned into more tears as we continued to hold each other in the middle of the Los Angeles airport, not giving a care in the world as to who was watching._

_Finally pulling away from our embrace, I cupped Syd's face in my hands and wiped away her tears with the pads of my thumbs._

"_I love you Syd. You tell Weiss that if he doesn't take care of you I'm going to come up to San Francisco myself and kick his ass." I told her while I put on my best smile._

"_I love you too."_

_Leaning forward, I softly kissed her lips, tasting the salty tears that had landed there. Our kiss grew to be more passionate, just like it always did, as we both relished in each other's touch. When we no longer could escape the need for oxygen, be both pulled away, leaning our foreheads against each other._

"_Call me when you get in." _

"_I will Vaughn. Take care of your mom, ok? I'll be back before you know it." _

_Syd picked up her purse off of the ground, planted one final kiss on my forehead and made her way to the gates._

**_END FLASBACK_**

A sudden cold wind jolted me from my thoughts as I wrapped the blanket tightly around my body. I always liked sitting out on the porch when I was a kid. I'd sit here and read my comic books or organize my baseball cards. I used to sit on the porch everyday and wait for my dad to come home promptly at 5:00pm.

I'd see his smooth, black Cadillac pull up in the driveway and I'd run to the side of his car and jump into his arms. Those were some of the best memories I had as a kid. I knew that no matter how tired my dad was, he'd still find time to watch the hockey or baseball game with me after dinner.

"Hey… what are you doing out here?" I heard Syd ask from the doorway. She had thrown on my SF State sweatshirt that was way too big for her, making her look even more adorable in my clothes.

"I couldn't sleep. Come here."

Opening up the blanket, Syd snuggled up against me as I wrapped the both of us up. I could tell she was still tired by the constant yawning every 10 seconds.

"I can't believe I'm leaving today. The weekend went by so fast." She said, tucking her head right under my chin.  
"I was just thinking about that. You're not going to cry again at the airport, are you?" I teased her.

"Am I not going to cry again? What about you! You were crying just as much."

"You made me cry. Dudes don't cry Syd. I took one look at you and broke down. I couldn't help it. I felt so un-manlike."

"Oh please. Shut up Vaughn. It's ok for guys to cry." Playfully slapping me in the chest, I countered by grabbing her hand and bringing it up to my lips.

"You know, I actually miss school. I miss being on campus and having a daily routine."

"Really? You really would want to have midterms and finals and papers due right now?"

"Actually, forget I said that." I laughed. "I mostly miss the swing of things in San Francisco. I miss waking up to you everyday. I miss coming out of the shower and smelling Weiss' breakfast. I just miss hanging out with you guys."

"Well, we miss you too. It's not the same when the three of us are all hanging out. Although, maybe there's going to be four of us now since Emily might be joining the gang."

I really hoped that Weiss wasn't trying to romance Emily. It would screw everything up with Francie if he were to begin dating her roommate. I could actually see Francie slapping Weiss in the face.

"Weiss better be smart about that. Would he really risk his friendship with Francie for her roommate?" I questioned curiously.

"I don't know. I hope not. There's nothing great about her, Vaughn. I don't even think Francie likes her much anymore."  
"Yeah, because she's jealous." I stated matter of factly.

"Maybe Weiss is doing this to tick Francie off. Would he do something like that? You know him better than I do."

"Who knows, Eric has a mind of his own and sometimes it doesn't work."

We sat on the porch for hours, drifting in and out of sleep, and finally watching the sun creep through the fog at sunrise. Syd was wrapped up in my lap with her arms around my waist as I rubbed soothing circles on her back. I didn't want her to leave. I didn't ever want to move from the position we were in. But, I was hopeful that there would be many more mornings like this to come.

**Syd's POV**

"Weiss! Weiss where are you?" I shouted as I closed the front door and pulled my heavy luggage into my room.

"Syd? Hey! How was your trip? How's Mike?" Weiss answered, poking his head out of his room.

"It was great. Vaughn is good and he sends his love. What are you doing in there? You want to cook me some food? The food on the plane was disgusting and I'm craving some French toast."

Taking off my shoes, I quickly pulled on some sweats and made my way into the kitchen.

"So… tell me the truth, Mike said he missed me, huh?" Weiss joked as he pulled bread and eggs out from the fridge.

"You wish."

"Oh, I forgot, it's you two. I bet you didn't even do any talking, right? You stayed in bed for four days?"

"No!" I yelled. "We did go to that Kings game Friday night. Vaughn said thanks for helping me find the tickets, by the way. He loved it."

Looking over Weiss' shoulder, I watched as he beat the eggs in a bowl and added cinnamon, sugar, and a little bit of butter.

"So Weiss… what's up with you? Anything new?" I asked, fully knowing he'd catch to what I was hinting at.

"Francie told you, right?"

"Yeah, she called me on Friday. What's up with you and Emily? You asked her out?"

"It wasn't really a date. I just asked her if she wanted to grab a bite to eat." He explained.

"You like her?" I questioned while I pulled off the crust of one of the extra breads and nibbled on it.

"She's nice. We'll see how things go. We're just friends Syd. Nothing's going on."

A sense of relief hit me after Weiss explained everything. I was glad to know nothing serious was going on between Emily and Weiss. I could finally assure Francie that she didn't have to worry about anything.

Lots of laughs and stories about my weekend were shared with Weiss as we gobbled down his delicious French toast. It was actually good to be around Weiss cause no matter how bad I felt about missing Vaughn he could always cheer me up.

The bed was cold again that night, just like it always was when Vaughn wasn't in it. Sometimes when I was about to drift off into sleep and was in between the conscious and sleeping state, I could actually feel Vaughn spooning me from behind or planting kisses on my shoulder. It would become so real at times that I'd wake up expecting him to be there.

The next morning, Francie greeted me with a big hug as we entered our business class. Linking her arm through mine, we slowly walked into the crowded classroom and took our usual seats in the back.

"Tell me how your weekend was, Syd! How's Michael? Did you guys have a good time?" She asked excitedly.

"We had a blast. Vaughn looked good. He was in desperate need of a haircut and a shave when I first arrived, but he never fails to look gorgeous."

"How's his mom doing?"

"She's fine. She's so strong Fran, I don't know how she does it." I answered, thinking about Amélie's smiling face when she found out I had come home last weekend.

"I know, I couldn't even imagine. What about the hockey game? Did Michael like the seats?"

"He loved them! You should've seen how excited he was."

"Aww Syd. I'm so happy you had a good time. You were having a lot more fun than I was having here." She sighed.

Just then, our professor walked in with her brown briefcase in hand. The class immediately quieted down as the professor took her book and started writing a few notes on the board.

"I talked to Weiss last night. He says there's nothing going on with him and Emily. They're just friends." I informed her.

"Yeah, he told me that a couple of days ago. I think Emily likes him though. She kept asking me questions about him."

"Like what?" I whispered.

"Like how long I've known him and if he had a girlfriend last year."

"She has no idea Weiss has a thing for you? Wow, that must've been awkward. Sorry you had to go through that Fran."

Pulling a pen out of my backpack, I jotted down the notes on the board, paying no attention to what the professor was actually lecturing about.

"It's ok. I was jealous at first, but if they want to go out, they can. It's not like Eric is my boyfriend or anything." I could tell there was a change in her voice even though she was speaking softly.

"So you'd be ok if they started dating?"

"I guess. It's just like you said on the phone Syd. I have no reason to be jealous, right?"

"Yeah… right." Shrugging her shoulders, Francie grabbed my notebook and started copying down my notes.

A few days had passed and Weiss and I skirted around the subject of Emily. We talked about everything but her and mostly acted like she didn't even exist. Maybe Weiss felt uncomfortable talking to me about it because of Francie, but her name was never brought up unless she called the apartment phone.

On Friday evening, the three of us decided to get together to see the new Colin Farrell movie. Of course Francie and I were in on it so we could stare at the big screen. Weiss only tagged along because he had nothing better to do and didn't want to be stuck in the apartment on a Friday night.

It was already 30 minutes passed 7 o'clock when I was telling Weiss to hurry up. Apparently he doesn't like to buy any of the candy at movie theatres and was going through all the cabinets searching for skittles.

"I swear Mike has some candy in here somewhere." He announced as he open and closed the cupboards above the stove.

"Weiss, we have to go pick up Francie. C'mon."

Finally finding a bag of M&M's, we ran out the door and hopped into the car. The whole ride there I kept trying to remember the movie where the guy or girl only eats the brown M&M's. It had something to do with the color of chocolate already being brown so the brown M&M's had less artificial coloring.

Weiss and I argued back and forth which movie we thought it was until he yelled out, "It's from the Wedding Planner!"

Giving him a weird look, he slumped down in his chair and said, "I saw it on TV once when nothing else was on."

"Yeah, sure Weiss." I joked.

Francie came bouncing down the stairs a few minutes later after we pulled in front of her apartment. Weiss smiled as she threw him a bag of gummy bears.

"Here. Syd said you were complaining because you had no candy." She told him as she hopped into the car.

"Thanks Fran! I swear one of these things at the theatre is like 6 bucks."

Just as we were about to pull away, we heard someone shout Francie's name from behind. Putting my car back in park, I looked in my rear view mirror to see Emily waving at us.

"Hey guys. Where are you headed to?" She asked cheerfully as she approached Weiss' window.

"We're going to the movies." Weiss answered softly. "Where are you coming from?"

"Oh I had a late study session. Thank god I caught you guys. Would you mind if I come along? I need to get out a little and forget about school."

The car went silent for a moment. None of us wanted to answer Emily's request. I could see Fran rolling her eyes from the back seat.

"Yeah, ok." Weiss replied, his voice shaking a little.

"Great! Let me go grab a couple of things from upstairs. I'll be back in a sec." I wanted to hit my head against the steering wheel while we watched Emily run up the stairs.

The mood in the car had suddenly changed and I couldn't blame Weiss for saying yes. He didn't want to be rude or anything and it wasn't like Fran and I were going to answer anytime soon. Laying my head back on the headrest, I let out a long sigh. This was going to be a long night.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	34. PART II Chapter 8

_Here's an update for you all. :) Taking a break from studying... thanks for the reviews! This is gonna be a quick note cause I don't feel like writing anymore, haha. Enjoy!_

PART II- Chapter 8.

**Vaughn's POV**

I flipped through my Sports Illustrated magazine nervously. Doctor's offices always made my stomach turn in knots for some reason. Looking over to my mom, I saw that she was calmly knitting a red sweater for Donovan.

It was three weeks till Christmas and my mother was due for surgery a couple of days after. The doctor planned this so she'd be able to celebrate Christmas in case the surgery… were to have complications.

Even thinking about something going wrong almost made me want to vomit. I wasn't ready for this one yet. My mom's whole sickness hit us so fast in the first place. Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I closed my magazine and stared at the big wooden clock in the corner. The seconds ticked by slowly making me feel like the walls were closing in on me.

Finally, the door swung open and Dr. Martin entered. She was around my mom's age with kids still in high school. Every time my mom had an appointment with her, she insisted that I meet her daughter. I always wormed my way out of it by asking her some irrelevant medical question.

"Good morning Amélie. I have some news that you are going to be pleased with." She said as she took a seat at her desk. "With the recent tests we've performed on you, it looks like the tumor has shrunk a little less than a centimeter. It proves that the Chemotherapy has done its job and you'll be ready for surgery."

"That's great news doctor, thank you." My mother answered, grabbing my hand and giving me a reassuring squeeze.

Funny, in all of this, my mother was the one going through all the pain. Yet, she still was the one having to comfort me. I always tried to follow in my father's footsteps and be the man of the house, but sometimes I felt like a little kid again.

"Your surgery is set on Dec. 27th. Now you'll have to come to the hospital at 6am. The process is to begin sharply at 8:30 and you will no longer be able to eat or drink after 10pm the night before. Now, I'm not going to lie to you, but the surgery can last anywhere from 6-10 hours. It is a long, difficult day, but we have more than enough reason to believe that you will come out of it fine."

I could feel the beads of sweat beginning to form on forehead. Hearing all of this didn't sit well with me.

"How long will I be in the hospital?" My mother questioned.

"Depending on how well you recover, it could be 2-3 weeks, maybe longer. After you have recovered, we will then be able to start the Radiation."

My mom didn't even get a break in this. I felt horrible for her. Even though I understood that the doctors wanted to get everything done as soon as possible to lower the risk of the cancer spreading, I still felt bad for my mom.

The doctor continued to discuss the process of the surgery and what's going to happen after. I took that exact moment to zone out and wish I were back up in San Francisco with Syd. Although, maybe I didn't.

Not that I didn't want to spend anytime with Sydney because god knows how much I want to do that, it's just that the drama going on up there didn't sound like any fun. Apparently Emily likes Weiss and follows him around everywhere. Weiss is torn between dating Emily and holding out for Francie. Francie continues to hide her jealousy and Syd is stuck right in the middle of the whole situation.

I wondered where I would fit in with all of that. I'd probably be right there with Syd in the middle trying to play peacekeeper. I could just imagine Syd having to listen to Francie go on for hours about how she really didn't care about Weiss and Emily. Obviously, if she cared to talk about it that much it was bothering her more than she was going to admit.

Dropping my mom off at home, I made my way to the grocery to pick up some food for the week. I was always the type that didn't like to grocery shop. It bothered the hell out of me to stand in those long lines and push around a stupid cart. Not to mention people in the parking lot being apathetic to the other cars around them and slamming their cart into car doors.

The best part was when people would slyly look around the parking lot to see if anyone was looking, grab the cart, and put it away like nothing happened. Then the owner of the car would come back 10 minutes later and become irate at the new scratch on their car.

Nope, I never got enjoyment out of that. I waited until my refrigerator and cabinets were empty of food before I made my way to the grocery store. It had to be at the very last minute where eating food was a priority.

Of course being in San Francisco was much easier than home. I lived with Weiss. The dude loves food and has endless stacks of it in the apartment. If our apartment ever lacked having any food in the refrigerator it would be because Weiss died.

With much hesitation, I grabbed my cart and began to make my way up and down the aisles. I figured I'd make the grocery shopping a lot less painful by calling Syd and having her distract me.

After three rings, her voice greeted me at the other end.

"Hey Vaughn…" She said cheerfully.

"Hey Syd, what are you up to?"

"Nothing… just got home from class and reading through my new Cosmo. What about you?" I could hear the pages of her magazine being flipped in the background.

"I'm at the grocery store. I ran out of food this morning so I needed to pick some up."

"Oh god, I know how much you hate going there. I swear Weiss goes to the store about every other day."

"I know." I responded, pausing to grab a loaf of bread from the top shelf. "That's one of the best reasons why living with Weiss is fun. You'll never be hungry again."

"Ok so guess what? I have a surprise for you." She said excitedly.

"You got new lingerie?"

"Vaughn!"

"What? That's a good surprise for me." I joked, knowing she was smiling on the other end of the line.

"No. What I was going to say was that Fran and Weiss are coming down to visit you during semester break."

"Really?" I was ecstatic to hear the news. I hadn't seen Weiss or Fran in about 6 months and was dying to hang out with them again.

"Yeah, they're going to fly down to LA a couple days after Christmas. I hope that's ok."

"Oh… well, my mom is going to be in surgery during that time. I might be a little busy or pre-occupied."

"I know, Vaughn. But, I figured you might need a little more support than me when your mom is in the hospital." Syd explained. "If you want them to come later, I can tell them. I'm sure changing their flight is no problem."

"No, it's fine. That's actually a good idea. They can distract me for a little bit."

I continued to walk up and down the aisles grabbing everything I needed. Orange juice, bread, deli meat, chips, boxed pasta, frozen pizza, apples, and salad stuff all sat at the bottom of my cart.

"So how's school going? Keeping up your grades?" I questioned as I searched the bottom shelf for strawberry pop tarts.

"Yes, dad. I am." Syd replied sarcastically.

"Don't call me dad, it freaks me out. It makes me think of your dad and thinking of you and your dad at the same time screws up my thoughts big time, Syd."

Sydney hardly lived at home anymore and I still feared Jack walking in on us. I never once dared to sleep over her house in the summer. I could seriously picture him grabbing me from Syd's bed and tossing me out the window.

"Sorry. I bought a new comforter for your bed, by the way. The other one had holes in it and the color was fading."

"That's cool. As long as my Kings blanket still stays on top."

"Well, I know you're not going to like this, but I bought a pink comforter." Syd laughed loudly into the phone knowing how much I despised the color pink. It was too girly.

"Pink? I have a big pink blanket on my bed. You better take that thing off when I come back. I can't sleep under a pink blanket."

"Oh, come on Vaughn, you sleep with a purple blanket." She argued.

"That's because it's Kings colors. Purple can't be girly if tough, full grown guys are wearing it."

"Fine. I'll take it off when you come back. I hope you like the 5 vases of flowers in here too. It makes your room smell great."

"Syd…" I whined. "You're turning my bachelor pad into a chick room!"

"It wasn't even a bachelor pad to begin with! Don't worry, when you come back, everything will be just the way it was when you left."

"Good. Except you'll be sleeping in new lingerie?" I knew if Syd were here she'd already be hitting me in the arm.

"I think I'm going to hang up on you now." She chuckled.

"I'm about to get into the checkout line anyways. I'll call you later, ok?"

"Sounds good. Bye sweetie."

**Syd's POV**

I stayed till dinnertime at Francie's place again. We had a presentation due in a couple of days for our class together and had to get some work done. We worked hard for about an hour until we started eating candy on her bed and got distracted.

I would've stayed for dinner since Francie was cooking that night, but I promised Weiss I'd be home so he could teach me how to make raviolli's from scratch. I was tired of buying the frozen raviolli's in the box and wanted to venture out there.

We sat in Fran's room the whole time wondering when Emily was going to burst in the door and ask what we were doing. We guessed she would probably take off her shoes and jump on the bed like this was some sort of private girl talk. To our surprise, she never came home. Not like we minded or anything. Emily always seemed to want to bust in on our conversations like she knew what she was talking about.

Saying a quick goodbye to Fran, I sped home hoping Eric wasn't going to be mad at me for being late. I knew how he got when he was hungry and it wasn't a pretty sight.

I quickly ran through the front door expecting Weiss to already be at the kitchen counter preparing the dinner. Instead, he was sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand… next to Emily.

"Hi Sydney!" Emily said a little too cheerful.

"Hey…" I answered distantly. "Weiss, can I have a word with you in my room for a sec?"

Throwing my keys and purse on the bed, Weiss entered slowly, closing the door behind him.

"Yeah, Emily came over after class cause she said she needed help on one of her math problems." Weiss stated flatly.

"Seriously? She was asking you for math help?" I responded astonished. Weiss was a great guy and all, but definitely not the first person I would call for help on any kind of schoolwork.

"I guess. Where did you come from?"

"I was over at Francie's place. We had work to do on some project."

"Oh… well, I can tell Emily to leave since I promised you dinner tonight. She's been here for like 3 hours already." I could tell Weiss was trying to blow her off. Not because he wanted to, but because he wanted to make me believe he was blowing her off.

"No. Weiss, it's fine. She can stay. I'll find something to eat or go back to Fran's or something."

"Syd… I'm telling her to leave right now, ok? Don't worry about it."

I truly felt bad that Weiss was telling Emily to leave. The poor girl was probably sitting out there wondering what the hell we were talking about in private. Shrugging my shoulders, I decided not to dwell on it. I was perfectly fine finding other plans for dinner while Weiss and Emily hung out. He was the one insisting on her going home.

After Weiss made a lame excuse about me not feeling well and him having to run out and buy medicine, Emily left the apartment. She seemed reluctant at first, even offering to make me soup which made me feel even more horrible for having a grudge against her. But, Weiss assured her that he would call after he took care of me.

"We're just friends Syd, you know that, right?" Weiss asked as he took out the pasta sheets from the fridge.

"I never assumed anything Weiss."

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew that. And that Francie knows that nothing is going on. Cause I know Emily might be feeding the wrong information. I just don't want you guys to think…"

I cut him off before he could say anything else. He was rambling and it seemed to me he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me.

"Seriously Weiss, whatever happens between you and Emily is none of my business. You can do whatever you want." I told him while I stuffed the pasta sheets with ricotta cheese and fresh herbs.

"I like Emily, I really do. She's a sweet girl and everything. I'd date her in a heartbeat."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"You know what I'm waiting for Syd. She happens to be your best friend. I'm not asking you to talk to her for me anymore cause I always as you to do that. But, I don't know how much longer I can wait for her to figure out what she wants. One day she gives out signals, the other day she doesn't. I'm losing hope."

Pausing to look at Weiss, I stopped stuffing the ravioli's and wiped my hands with the dishtowel.

"Do what your heart tells you to do Weiss. Francie is my best friend, but she's complicated. I'm sorry that I can't give you any insight on how she really feels, but if you want to date Emily then do it. No one's stopping you but yourself." I explained, trying to sound sympathetic even though I didn't care for Emily too much.

"Thanks Syd. We'll see what happens. How's Mike?"

"Good. I miss him. Told him you guys are coming down after Christmas and he's excited."

"Yeah, I'm excited to see him too."

Weiss was quiet again during dinner. He swirled his food around his fork, eating slowly and staring distantly into his plate. There weren't many times where Weiss wasn't hungry. I could tell the whole situation was bothering him.

Even when I offered him cookie dough ice cream after dinner he refused. Instead of our nightly TV watching in the family room, he went into his room and closed the door. He didn't even stick around for the sports portion of the news. A clear indicator what Weiss wasn't acting like Weiss.

I was worried about him. There weren't many times when Weiss was bummed out and these were one of them.

Tracking back to my room, I closed the door and turned off all the lights. Sleep was catching up to me and I had no way of escaping it. And even though the evening was still early, I closed my eyes and dreamt of much happier times.

**_FLASHBACK_**

"_Ok Bristow, you can't hold your hands all the way at the bottom of the bat. Choke up on it a little." Vaughn instructed me._

_It was the second week we were home for the summer and Vaughn insisted on teaching me how to hit a baseball. We had made a deal earlier in the day that if I could hit at least 10 baseballs, he'd take me mini golfing. _

"_What the hell does choking up on it mean, Vaughn? I'm not Mr. MVP baseball like you." I answered sarcastically._

_I stood frightened inside of the batting cage. Apparently those yellow baseballs are thrown pretty fast by the machine and I knew if I stood too close to the white plate that I would get hit. Vaughn stood outside of the cage with a smart-ass smirk on his face. He knew how much I was scared of the ball._

"_It means to put your hands higher on the bat. And don't close your eyes when you swing. You actually have to see the ball to hit it."_

_The first ball practically whizzed by my head, causing me to fall on the floor and have dozens of people look over my way on account of the girlish scream I let out. _

"_I almost got killed!" I hissed to Vaughn as he held his hand over his mouth, attempting to cover up his laughter._

"_Syd, that wasn't even close. Besides, you're wearing a helmet. Get back in there and hit the ball."_

_The second pitch didn't come nearly as close to my head as the first one. Muscling up as much as I could, I took a hard swing at the little ball and missed horribly._

"_Vaughn…" I whined. "Please… teach me how." I asked him, putting on my puppy dog face and batting my eyelashes._

"_Oh, you are hopeless." He joked. "I'm coming in."_

_Despite the rules written in big bold letters outside the cage, Vaughn entered with no helmet and grabbed the bat from me._

_Placing two hands on my hips, Vaughn positioned my body in the batter's box and stood closely behind me._

"_Ok, bend your knees a little." He told me, placing the bat in my hands and then covering them with his own. "When the ball comes, don't be afraid of it. I'm right behind you, ok? I'm not going to let it hit you." He whispered right into my ear. _

_I could hardly concentrate on hitting the baseball anymore because of our close proximity. Vaughn had his arms secured around my body with his warm breath hitting my shoulders. Not to mention the fact that he smelled incredible._

"_Here it comes, Syd. Are you ready?" He asked as the machine began to wind up._

_In a matter of seconds, the baseball appeared right in the middle of the plate. I could feel Vaughn's grip tighten on my hands as he swung both of our arms forward, hitting the ball straight into the back of the cage._

_Releasing his grip on me, I turned around to see Vaughn dusting off his hands._

"_I did it!" I yelled to Vaughn while I threw down the bat and jumped into his arms._

"_No, we did it. C'mon. I think that's enough batting practice for you. Let's go mini-golfing."_

**_END FLASHBACK_**

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	35. PART II Chapter 9

_Hey kids... Happy Alias day! I'm going crazy waiting for 9pm to roll around so I'm updating in the meantime. Thanks forall the reviews and the support!_

PART II- Chapter 9.

**Syd's POV**

I woke up with a blistering headache Thursday morning. It was so horrible that I couldn't even lift my head from the pillow. Reaching for the bottle of Tylenol, I blindly opened the bottle and popped two pills in my mouth, not bothering to help with down with any water.

It was a week and a half away from the end of the semester and three weeks away from Christmas. I was driving myself insane trying to find the perfect gift for Vaughn. Everything I had gotten him in the past was too friendly. None of it represented any sort of romantic feeling. Well, I guess that makes sense since this was our first Christmas together.

Vaughn also forbade me from buying him a birthday present last month. He told me that he wanted his Christmas and birthday present together so it would be extra special. But, I think he was really preventing me on spending all my money cause he knew I'd spoil him like crazy.

I had a shopping date with Francie later on that evening in hopes to pick up gifts for Vaughn and my father. I had already bought Weiss and Francie their gifts. For Weiss, I ordered the new George Foreman grill for his grilled cheese sandwiches. He was always complaining that he could never get the 'cool grill' marks from using the pan.

Francie was a bit trickier. It took some good thinking to figure out what I was going to get for her. Finally, I stumbled across the Home Shopping Network late at night and saw they were selling full sets of brand new pots and pans. Vaughn and I decided that it would be the perfect gift from the both of us.

I hadn't had my eyes closed for more than 15 minutes before my cell phone began buzzing on the nightstand. Expecting it to be Vaughn giving me my warning wake up call, I was surprised when Francie's voice started screaming on the other end.

"Ok, tell me why Eric and Emily are walking around campus… holding hands?" She began to shout a little too loudly into the phone.

"Because maybe they're dating, Fran."

"What's wrong with you? How come you sound like you're in bed? This is a crisis Sydney!" Groaning into the phone, I shut my eyes tightly, attempting to block the sun from getting into my eyes.

"I have a migraine… and it's not a crisis. They're going out. She likes him, he likes her, that's how relationships work Fran."

"I blew it Syd." She sighed. "That's supposed to be me with him. I played around thinking he was going to wait for me and he's moved on. I guess I can't blame him for that."

A twinge of me was happy that Eric finally made up his mind. And, as much as I wanted to feel bad for Fran, I couldn't because she had the opportunity.

"I'm sorry Fran. I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. It's ok. Go back to sleep and call me before you come over. We're still on for shopping tonight, right?" She asked, perking up a little.

"Of course. I'll call you later."

Throwing my phone down on the other side of the bed, I brought Vaughn's pillow to my chest and snuggled up under the warm covers. My head was beginning to feel like someone was pounding it with a hammer and I desperately needed to get some rest.

The next time I awoke, it was 1:30 in the afternoon and I managed to miss all of my classes. Not like I cared or anything. I had made it a habit to accidentally miss class. Laughing and two loud voices could be heard from the family room.

Swinging my bedroom door open, I saw Emily squirming on the floor while Weiss tickled her stomach.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you?" Weiss asked, pausing his assault on Emily.

"No, don't worry about it." I answered flatly.

I really wasn't in the mood to watch some other happy couple while I was miserable being separated from Vaughn. Not that I didn't like Emily and Weiss. Well ok, yeah I didn't really like Emily and Weiss together. But, I didn't want to show it towards them. They deserved to be happy.

Walking over to the kitchen, I opened up the fridge and pressed a cold water bottle to my head. My migraine had subsided, but the aching was still there. The cool bottle felt good against my heated skin as I leaned back on the counter.

Weiss came ambling over a minute later, concerned that I slept in till 1:30 in the afternoon.

"Seriously, we didn't wake you right? We can leave." He whispered, hoping that Emily didn't hear.

"No, I was already up. Don't worry about it."

"You feeling ok? Are you sick?" He questioned while he raised the back of his hand to touch my forehead.

"I woke up with a really bad headache this morning. I already took Tylenol and slept it off. I'll be ok, thanks."

"You sure, you seem a little hot? Maybe you have a fever."

"That's because I was under all of those heavy blankets. Really, I'm fine. You can go back and hang out with your girlfriend now." I didn't mean for my last sentence to see so harsh. But, Weiss quietly hung his head and walked back to Emily.

Later that night, after slowly gaining back my appetite, I sipped slowly on a jamba juice on my way to Fran's apartment. I was excited to go Christmas shopping. Ever since I was a young child it had always been my favorite time of the year.

My father and I weren't close growing up. All of the holidays I had spent with him felt so empty and impersonal. But, Christmas was different. Christmas was the one day out of the year that my father would not be occupied with work, or send his gifts through my nanny. It would always be only the two of us, but we made it special.

I knew this Christmas would be even more special. From the recent turn of events between my father and I, I looked forward to buying him a meaningful gift. This was like a new beginning. And also, of course because it's the first Christmas that Vaughn I would be sharing together.

"Hey, you feeling any better?" Fran asked as she swung the car door open.

"Yep. Not really hungry that much though. Maybe if we start walking around I'll get my appetite back."

We tried to pick a time where the mall wouldn't be that crowded. We figured that a weeknight at the mall would be too bad. Boy, were we wrong. I guess when it's holiday season it doesn't really matter what day it is.

We spent about 30 minutes driving around the packed parking lot, closely following behind fellow shoppers only to see that a car was already waiting for the spot. Finally, after finding a parking spot furthest from the mall, we hopped out of the car and made our way to the entrance.

"So what exactly are you looking to buy for your dad, Syd?"

"I don't know. What do you think about a watch? Would that be a good gift? I know he has one and all. But, he's been wearing the same one for the past 15 years. We need to bring my dad into the new age of technology." I joked, peering into the glass case of watched.

The guy working behind the counter must have taken out around 30 watches and on almost every one of them I shook my head in disapproval. Finally narrowing it down to two watches, I glanced down at the both of my hands.

In one, I held a nice Kenneth Cole watch with a sleek, silver face and brown band. In the other, a fancy looking fossil watch with a more complicated face, but a shiny, silver clasped band. I couldn't decide on either one. Both were extraordinary and would make a great gift.

Finally, after the annoyed watch salesman sat there tapping his fingers lightly on the glass case, I decided on the Fossil watch. I figured it looked more professional and would match better with his work suits. Fran agreed after I made the salesman try on both watches for an example.

"So what should I get for Weiss?" Fran asked as we strolled slowly through the mall.

"I don't know. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I was going to buy him the Godfather Trilogy on DVD. They just came out with this special edition one." She explained, pulling me into Banana Republic.

"That's a good gift. Why don't you just get him that?"

"I don't know. He's with Emily now and I don't know what she's getting him, but I don't want my gift to be like more expensive than hers."

"Fran, that's ridiculous. Who cares what she's getting him. You guys are friends. She shouldn't have anything to do with it." I explained, irritated that Emily seemed to pop up in every conversation Francie and I had.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm gonna stop fretting over this now. Sorry Syd."

**Vaughn's POV**

After taking Donovan on a long evening walk, I came home to find my mom rummaging through all of her old pictures. Three big, leather bound photo albums sat on the coffee table as she slowly drank her tea and examined each picture.

A wistful smiled appeared on her face as I recognized the wedding album she was fingering through. Donovan, running straight towards her, nudged his head under her hand looking for some love.

"Hi Michael, how was Donovan's walk?" My mom asked as she scratched lightly under Donny's chin.

"Good. He was barking at those two German Sheppard's down the street. What are you looking at? Wedding pictures?"

Walking over to my mom, I took a seat closely to her while she pointed to an old picture of my father.

"Look how handsome he was. He was probably 22 in that picture. You know you are a spitting image of him. You took none of my genes Michael." She joked, tugging at my jaw.

"What about that one? Where were you guys in that picture?" Pointing to a small, black and white photo of my parent's on a farm, I figured it was somewhere in France.

"That was your grandparent's farm in France, sweetheart. It's a shame you never got to meet Bill's parents. They were wonderful people."

"I'm sure they were." I sighed.

We sat in silence for the next several minutes while I watched my mom lightly touch old photos of my father and laugh at baby pictures of me.

"Hey mom, are you scared of the surgery coming up? Cause I was thinking about it while I was walking and the whole thing terrifies me. It must be eating at you, right?"

"It is, but I'm not worried about it too much. I'm more worried about you. I don't want you stressing over this Michael. I know how you are." She told me, pulling Donovan into her lap. "I know that you are the most caring, loving son that any mother could ask for. But, if you keep worrying about me so much you're going to drive yourself insane. You hear me?"

"I know, but I can't help it. I'm just trying to do what Dad would do. I'm taking care of you like he would. He asked me to do that."

Getting up from the couch, I ran my hand through my hair tiredly. I wanted my mom to know that I didn't plan on going anywhere.

"Michael, you were 8 years old when he died. You've been carrying around this burden for more than 11 years. I love you, sweetie. But, let me be your mother. Let me be the one to take care of you. I know you are a grown man now, but I want you to know that you don't have to do anything. Your love in return is all I need."

I could feel the tears springing to my eyes. Hearing my mother saying that to me felt like someone was taking the weight off of my shoulders.

"I'm not just doing this because Dad told me to. I'm doing it because I love you mom. I want you to know that."

"Oh I know Michael. Come here."

Opening up her arms, my mother embraced me tightly and planted a kiss on my forehead. Her hugs always made me feel so warm.

"No matter how old you get, you're still going to be my little boy." She joked.

"Yes, I know mom. And no girl will ever be good enough for me." I answered back laughing, knowing that's what all Mom's think of their future daughter in-laws.

"Nope, no girl will ever be good for you… except for one. We both know who that is."

"Sydney?"

"Of course. You know I just adore her. You two make a darling couple. I don't want to freak you out or anything because I know you're only 20 years old, but if you were to ever consider marrying her, I would approve."

That night in bed, I tossed and turned, the words of my mother echoing in my mind. It's not that the thought of marrying Syd never crossed my mind. But, I was only 20 years old. The thing that freaked me out the most was being able to see myself with her for the rest of my life.

20 year old guys don't see that in their lives. They don't look at their current serious girlfriend and go, 'hey, I think I could marry her.' I always thought I'd be dating girls that would force me to figure out what I'd want in a marriage. I figured I'd date a whole bunch of different girls that would be productive in finding the perfect one.

It's just like that guy in Sweet Home Alabama said, "Who meets their soul mate when they're 5 years old? Where's the fun in that, right?" Not that I watched that movie just for the hell of it or anything. Syd dragged me to the theatres for that one. I had to say, out of the many chick flicks I had watched, that movie wasn't the worse.

Finally, after not being able to shut my eyes, I grabbed my phone and decided to call Syd. I knew she wouldn't be a happy camper and all being that it was 3:30 in the morning.

After two rings, a groggy voice filled the other line.

"Hello.." She answered tiredly.

"Hey… it's me."

"Vaughn? Is something wrong? Are you ok?" She asked frantically, suddenly breaking out of her slumber.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to call you, to you know… hear your voice."

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"Really, I'm fine. I couldn't sleep though. My mind is too active."

Sliding down into my bed, I pulled the sheets up to my shoulders and held the phone tightly to my ear.

"What are you thinking about?" She questioned as she let out a deep yawn.

"Just something my mom said to me today. She told me no girl will ever be good enough for me except for you."

"Awww, that is so sweet. That's why I love your mom. Why are you thinking about it so much? She was just being nice."

"Because it got me thinking about marriage." I let out, hoping I wouldn't scare the shit out of Syd.

"Marriage? You're not proposing to me now, are you?"

"No! Syd, I deserve more credit than that. I wouldn't do it over the phone you know." I answered sarcastically.

"Ok, just checking. What about marriage? You scared of it or something?" I could tell her voice shook a little.

"Not at all. The thing that scared me was that… I don't even know if I want to tell you this. You're going to think I'm stupid or I might freak you out or something." I sighed.

"Vaughn, it's me. You can tell me anything."

"Well, the thing that scared me was that… I can see myself spending the rest of my life with you. And it's so weird cause we're 20 years old! Well, me I'm 20. You're still 19. But, still. We're way too young to be thinking that way. At least I'm too young to be thinking that way…"

"Vaughn, you're rambling, hun." She interrupted. "The truth is, I have those thoughts too. Not all the time or I think about it all the time. But really, I can see myself marrying you and there's nothing wrong with that. It's normal for people to look at the one they're with and think about if they have all the qualities they want in life partner. As long as we don't rush into anything, right?"

"Right. I mean, we're not harming anyone by thinking like that. You still don't think it's weird? I'm talking about me having these thoughts. It's different for you cause girls plan their wedding when they're like 6. But guys, some guys don't want to get married at the age of 40!" I laughed as I shifted onto my left side.

"But you're different from other guys. You've never been a typical guy. Plus, everyone's different. So stop worrying about it, ok?"

"Yeah, ok. Sorry for calling you so late. I just needed someone to talk to." I apologized.

"You don't ever have to say sorry for calling. Now get some sleep. I'll be home before you know it. I love you Vaughn."

"I love you too, Syd."

As soon as I hung up, I felt a whole lot better. Syd was exactly at the same place I was and I didn't have to fret over it anymore. With my eyelids beginning to fall heavily, I snuggled warmly under the blankets and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	36. PART II Chapter 10

_Ok, so I was meaning to update this earlier in the day, but wouldn't let me log in. I finally got in a few minutes ago. Yay for me cause I'm done with school and should have a ton of more time to write. Thanks for all the well wishes and great reviews! You guys are the best. :) Enjoy the chapter. I couldn't keep those two apart for too long. So I just skipped sometime and now they're back together. Hope you like it! Please review when you get a chance._

PART II- Chapter 10.

**Syd's POV**

"Remind me why we're here again?" Vaughn whispered quietly into my ear as I clutched tightly to his hand.

"Because your mom wants us to be here and it makes her happy." I responded.

The bright lights of the colorful ballroom filled our eyes while we entered the already crowded party. Vaughn's mom had convinced us to go to his Aunt Trish's company Christmas party that happened to be formal and filled with endless middle-aged people. No one around Vaughn and mine's age seemed to be in sight.

"But Syd… first of all, I hate tuxes. You know how much I hate putting on dress clothes. Secondly, all that's going to happen tonight is a bunch of my Aunt's co-workers coming up to me telling me how much I've grown up and them wanting to meet their daughters. Third, you made me wear a pink tie!" He hissed, putting on a fake smile as the people glued their eyes to the both of us.

"C'mon. You look like a stud in that pink tie. And if your Aunt's co-workers want to set you up with their daughters then kindly pull me forward and introduce me. Vaughn, being here isn't that bad, trust me."

I had arrived a week earlier having finished up my Winter semester and looking forward to my whole month and a half of no school. Vaughn and I were, to no one's surprised, practically attached at the hip since I came home.

I was so excited to see him at the airport that I jumped on him and knocked him over, causing a huge scene near the baggage claim in LAX. We couldn't have been more oblivious to the world. Somehow, every time I managed to go away, I would come back and Vaughn would just get better looking. I never thought it was possible.

A few days earlier Amélie had invited us to this Christmas party because Vaughn's Aunt requested his presence and Amélie didn't want to go alone. With much reluctance, Vaughn agreed, ironed his tux, and helped me pick out my dress.

I went with the all black strapless dress, the same one I wore the night of our one-month anniversary. I figured this time around I'd have better luck in it and my ex-boyfriend wouldn't come out of nowhere.

"Oh, my Michael!" A high-pitched female voice shouted behind us. "You just get more handsome by the year, you know that?"

"Hi Auntie." Vaughn greeted quietly as she kissed his cheek. "It's good to see you too. Thanks for inviting Mom and I. She needed to get out and have some fun before the big surgery."

"It's my pleasure dear. Who is this lovely girl you brought with you? Does my nephew finally have a girlfriend?"

Vaughn's cheeks turned a good shade of red as his Aunt Trish took both of my hands and kissed me hello.

"This is Sydney Bristow. And yes, she is my girlfriend. I'm surprised mom didn't tell you." Vaughn responded, slipping an arm around my waist.

"The Sydney? Oh my god. Amélie goes on about you for days sweetheart. It's finally good to put a face to a name. I heard so much about you."

"Thank you. Vaughn talks about you all the time." I told her genuinely.

"Oh what is this, Michael? Your girlfriend addresses you by your last name?"

"Yes, it's our thing. She's been calling me Vaughn since we were kids. I like it."

If Vaughn didn't like the whole idea of being at the Christmas party, at least he liked the food. We spent half the time hanging out near the food table that was filled with all sorts of finger foods. Vaughn made the excuse of hiding there so he wouldn't have to mingle with his Aunt's co-workers. But, I could tell he was really into the quiche.

Finally making our way away from the food, we took a seat at one of the empty round tables and watched several couples dance slowly on the wooden dance floor. I could feel Vaughn put his hand on my knee as he kissed my bare shoulder.

"You're not bored, are you?" He asked, placing his chin on my shoulder.

"No, this is fun. It's nice. It sucks we have no one to talk to, but at least we have each other."

"Trust me Syd, you don't want to talk to these people. They're all rich, snobby, and think you're a disgrace if you attend a public school."

"You're kidding me." I responded as I brought my hand on top of his under the table and laced our fingers together.

"I wish I was." He sighed. "Oh no… here comes one of them. Don't make eye contact Syd, maybe she won't talk to us."

Before I even got the chance to ask what he was talking about, a tall, middle-aged lady that had great resemblance to Angelica Houston approached our table. Trailing behind her was a pretty, brown haired girl that seemed to be around our age. She smiled slightly at Vaughn, not even bothering to give me a look.

"Michael! How wonderful it is to see you." She greeted him. "My, your Aunt hasn't lied when she said you are devilishly handsome."

"Thank you Mrs. Lennon." Vaughn answered politely.

"Well, I have someone here you would like to meet. This is my daughter Kristy." Grabbing her daughter's wrist, she pulled her forward to shake Vaughn's hand. "She's pre-med at UCLA, first year. Ever since I saw the picture of you on your Aunt's desk, I just knew you two had to meet."

I could feel my face getting hotter. Mrs. Lennon and her pre-med daughter Kristy didn't even bother to acknowledge my existence.

"It's nice to meet you Michael. My mom told me you were good looking, but I didn't believe her until I saw you across the room." Kristy said, throwing her hair away from her shoulder.

"Thanks…" He answered surprised. "This is Sydney, my girlfriend. We go to San Francisco State together."

Smiling brightly, I threw my arm around Vaughn's waist hoping that Kristy would get the point to keep her grimy paws off.

"Oh hello Sandy, it's nice to meet you. If you don't mind, I was hoping we would be able to steal Michael away for a minute or two. Kristy loves to dance. Would you mind dancing with her, Michael?" Mrs. Lennon asked, looking from Kristy to Vaughn.

Vaughn tightened the grip on our entwined fingers under the table, silently telling me it was going to be ok.

"First of all, it's Sydney. And yes, that would be fine. I'll be right back Syd." Before Vaughn could walk away, I grabbed onto his hand and pulled him down, placing a hard kiss on his mouth.

Mrs. Lennon's mouth fell open so wide I was sure I could throw a football into it. No one was expecting that, including Vaughn. Even though I caught him by surprise, he recovered quickly and flashed me a big smile before stepping onto the dance floor with Kristy.

They stood towards the edge of the dance floor, with Kristy's arms around Vaughn's neck and standing a little too closely than I was comfortable with. Throughout the whole dance, her mouth never seemed to stop moving as she was yapping about something that wasn't important. All Vaughn was doing was looking at me apologetically and mouthing the words, 'I'm sorry.'

Shrugging my shoulders, I sipped on my champagne, hoping it would ease the jealousy out of me. It wasn't like I felt threatened by this girl, but she made me feel uncomfortable by how forceful she was.

The second champagne glass was empty as I managed to down both Vaughn and mine's glasses in a matter of eight minutes. My cheeks were flushed and my head was beginning to feel a little light while I wished the dancing would end already.

Suddenly, Amélie appeared at the edge of the dance floor and approached Vaughn and Kristy. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but after Amélie's few words, Kristy was off stomping away and Vaughn and his mother were sharing a precious dance.

Tears sprung to my eyes as I watched them dance together, smiling and laughing. The love between the two were like no other and it made me wish my mother was still alive. At that moment, Vaughn looked like such a man, so grown up.

After a few more minutes of dancing, Vaughn returned and grabbed both of my hands.

"C'mon. Let's go get some fresh air." He told me, pulling me up from the table.

We walked hand in hand all the way across the ballroom to an empty balcony, looking over the Pacific Ocean. The sight was breath taking while I relished in the cool air. My body had become heated from the champagne and I was in desperate need for some fresh air.

Leaning over the concrete railing of the balcony, I looked out into the dark water and stared into the endless night. Vaughn followed seconds after, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing a kiss to the side of my head.

"Thank god for my mom. I thought I would be dancing with that girl forever. She's the daughter of my Aunt's boss so I couldn't say no. Every time I said I had to get back to you, she asked me for one more dance with her whiny-ass voice." He joked.

"I know. I was about to over there and cut in. She was looking at you like you were a piece of meat."

We stood there silently for a few moments, just observing our surroundings and enjoying the intimacy we were sharing.

Unexpectedly, Vaughn pulled his arms away from me and stepped back. Immediately my body felt cold without his touch as I turned around to see what he was doing.

"Dance with me." He stated, holding out his hand again.

Stepping towards him, I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and kissed him lightly on the mouth. The music could faintly be heard from inside the ballroom while we swayed together slowly.

I would give up everything 

_Before I'd separate myself from you_

_After so much suffering_

_I've finally found a man that's true_

_I was all by myself for the longest time_

_So cold inside_

_And the hurt from the heart it would not subside_

_I felt like dying_

_Until you saved my life_

_Thank God I found you_

_I was lost without you_

_My every wish and every dream_

_Somehow became reality_

_When you brought the sunlight_

_Completed my whole life_

_I'm overwhelmed with gratitude_

_Cause baby I'm so thankful I found you_

I pulled back slightly to look into his beautiful green eyes. Everything at that moment seemed to fit. The dancing, the balcony, the moonlight casting just enough light for us to see each other's faces, but dim enough to give us our privacy.

I would give you everything 

_There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do_

_To ensure your happiness_

_I'll cherish every part of you_

_Because without you beside me I can't survive_

_I don't want to try_

_If you're keeping me warm each and every night_

_I'll be all right_

_Cause I need you in my life_

_Thank god I found you_

_I was lost without you_

_My every wish and every dream_

_Somehow became reality_

_When you brought the sunlight_

_Completed my whole life_

_I'm overwhelmed with gratitude_

_Cause baby I'm so thankful I found out_

**Vaughn's POV**

Just as the song ended, Syd nearly attacked my mouth, taking me by surprise once again. I was shocked when she pulled me in for a kiss the first time inside the ballroom, right before I was forced into dancing with Ms. I'm-too-good-for-anyone.

Bringing one hand up behind her head, my fingers threaded through her smooth brown hair as we continued to kiss passionately. As soon as we knew it, our kissing turned into more of a make out session with Syd loosening my tie and slipping her hands inside of my jacket.

I gained back my senses just in time before we got too carried away.

"I think we should stop." I said out of breath, leaning my forehead against hers.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"You want to ditch this joint? C'mon lets get out of here."

I grabbed Syd's hand and looked around for my mother. The ballroom was still filled with hundreds of people as the song switched to a fast pace swing song. Finally spotting my mother across the room, we saw that she was sitting at a table in the back, chatting away with my Aunt.

Both of them smiled when they saw us, most likely thinking how well Syd and I matched.

"We're going to get out of here Mom." I shouted over the music. "You want to come home with us? Or are you going to get a ride."

"I'll get a ride, Michael. Don't worry about me. Why are you guys leaving? It's only 10:30?" My mom questioned, giving me that smirk that made me feel uncomfortable.

"Syd's not feeling well." I lied.

Taking a glance at Syd, I could see she was trying to suppress a laugh as I'm sure my mother and Aunt thought my lie was as equally lame.

"Ok sweetheart. Drive safely and don't wait up for me." My mother told us while I kissed her and my Aunt goodbye.

"Michael it is good seeing you. Don't be a stranger now and stop by once in awhile." My Aunt said before turning to Syd.

"It was lovely meeting you Sydney. I can see you make my nephew very happy."

"Thank you. I hope that I do." She responded, linking her arm through mine.

One hour later, the both of us emerged from the shower, wrapped in warm towels and smiling like fools. Slipping on my boxers, I flopped onto my bed exhausted. The combination of the party, the champagne, and our shower activity had wore me out.

I was so exhausted that my eyelids felt like they were going to collapse on me as I desperately tried to fight sleep.

This night had been too perfect for Syd and I and I didn't want it to end, at least not yet. Syd joined me several moments later wearing one of my old Mets t-shirts and running shorts. Laying her head down on my stomach, we lay perpendicular with the wet strands of her hair lightly tickled my bare chest.

"We have to make sure we go to that party again next year. That food was the best." I laughed, slipping my hands behind my head.

"And you were the one that wanted to leave. I told you it would be ok."

"Well, aside from the dancing with that other chick, I have to say it turned out to be fun. You know, despite the pink tie."

Syd slapped at me playfully, purposely avoiding doing any sort of damage. She knew her punches were pretty lethal.

"So, we have nearly a month and a half together at home. What do you want to do?" Syd asked me, turning her head so she could see my eyes.

"More of what we did in there?" I teased while I pointed to the bathroom.

"Well, other than that."

"I don't know. All I want to do is spend time with you. We don't need to be doing anything special."

"Except for going to Kings games?"

"Yeah, except for that." I responded.

The faint jingling of Donovan's bell on his collar could be heard from outside my door. Since my mother wasn't home yet, Donny was desperately looking for attention and I selfishly locked him out of my room. I loved my dog dearly, but didn't want him to interrupt anything that Syd and I were doing.

Because of the circumstances, moments like these came rare for the both of us and I didn't want to take them for granted.

"Hey Vaughn…" Syd whispered, pulling herself away from my body so she could lie next to me.

"What?"

"Thanks for the dance."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	37. PART II Chapter 11

_Here's a new update! Again, thanks for all the wonderful reviews. And hello to my **Shelz**! Loved your review.. I do the same thing when I find a new fic. I won't go to bed until I finish it. Enjoy the chapter!_

PART II- Chapter 11.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Hey mom! I think the turkey is ready! It's getting kinda brown on top." I yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

It was Christmas Eve and Jack and Sydney were coming for dinner. It was nice being able to spend Christmas with Syd this year. Usually my mom would drag me to my Aunt's house and I would have to endure all of their other relatives I hardly knew.

"I'll be right down!" She shouted back.

Just then, the doorbell rang and I refrained from running to the door to see Syd. Scooting Donny away from the door, I swung it open to see Syd smiling brightly with a bowl of mashed potatoes in her hands. Jack trailed in right after shaking my hand firmly.

"It's good to see you Michael. Thank you for having us over. Where is your mother?" He asked, handing me his coat.

"She's upstairs getting ready. She'll be down here any moment."

Jack stood by the door not really knowing what to do until Syd came back from the kitchen and kissed me softly on the lips.

"I forgot to give you one of those when I walked in." She said, completely oblivious to her dad standing 5 ft. away from us.

The clearing of Jack's throat brought Syd back to reality as she realized we were making her father a bit uncomfortable.

"Jack, you can go take a seat on the couch if you like." I instructed. "Do you want something to drink? Water? Beer? I'm sure my mom has wine."

"No, I'm fine for now, thank you."

I seemed to always have a no touch policy when Jack was around. Even though Syd reassured me every time he was around that he was ok with it, I still feared him choking me or strangling me to death.

Every once in awhile when I was over Syd's house during the summer, he'd send me these death glares when Syd wasn't looking. I wouldn't even chance it and take my hand off of her as fast as I possibly could.

The absolute worst was when he came home for lunch and caught me in the backyard untying Sydney's bikini top so I could apply more sunscreen. Of course I stumbled all over my words trying to get out the point that it was safer for me to put the sunscreen on and also that she didn't want any tan lines.

Syd wanted the floor to swallow her up and eat her and I wanted to jump in the pool and drown myself.

Surprisingly, the dinner was more eventful than I thought it was going to be. I pictured long awkward silences with nothing to talk about and Syd and I playing footsy under the table. The biggest shock was how talkative Jack Bristow was.

Him and my mother went on about everything going on in the world. They talked about everything from gas prices to hybrid cars. It was unbelievable. Syd and I almost felt left out and were thankful they weren't paying attention to us.

It was nice to not have people staring at us the whole night, unlike the Christmas party a couple nights ago. We both felt like we were under the spotlight and that everyone was paying attention to every single move we made.

After a couple of wine glasses later and a delicious dessert, Jack pushed himself away from the table and announced he was heading for home.

"Thank you very much for having me Amélie. The food was delicious." He told my mom as he patted her on the shoulder.

"Sydney? Are you going to come home with me or get a ride?"

"I'm going to stay here for a little bit. Vaughn and I still have to exchange gifts. I won't be home too late." She told him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Syd decided that she wouldn't spend the night at my house since she wanted to be with her father on Christmas morning. So we both agreed that we would exchange gifts the night before. I was practically rushing through dinner so we could get to the presents already.

I was down right giddy with excitement over my gift for Sydney. Once I saw her gift in the store, I knew it was absolutely perfect. Sure it put a big fat dent in my bank account, but it didn't matter. I wanted her to have it and money wasn't my concern.

"I think we missed the first part, Syd. They started it at 8. They're on the second one now." I told Syd after flipping on the television.

Watching 24 hours of The Christmas Story was our tradition. Ever since we were kids it was one of our favorite Christmas time movies. No matter how many times we watched it or the fact that they showed it over and over for 24 hours on TBS, we never seemed to get tired of it.

Nothing said Christmas more than Ralphie cussing in front of his father and getting his mouth washed out with a piece of soap. That stupid bunny rabbit suit he got for Christmas from one of his long last aunt's is something I would receive.

"You know, that Santa Clause still freaks me out every time I see this movie. What's up with his nose? It's so red. Plus, he's so mean to all those little kids. He made Randy cry." Syd groaned, resting her head on my shoulder.

My mom was already in bed and we had the fireplace going, giving off the romantic winter feel. Snuggling up under the blanket, I wrapped my arm around Syd's shoulders and rubbed her back unconsciously.

"Aww, c'mon. This is the best part! It's when Ralphie acts like a jerk to that dorky kid with huge glasses and blows off the evil witch from Wizard of Oz. You know what I still don't get? Why is the characters from Wizard of Oz parading through the mall during Christmas time?" I asked.

"I don't know… all the random things make this movie a classic. You still want that red rider bb gun, huh?"

"Of course I do." I chuckled. "It's every little boy's dream."

We watched the entire movie, repeating almost every single line, and laughing our asses off like it was the first time we ever seen it.

"Ok, it's present time!" I nearly shouted, jumping off the couch to go get Syd's present from under the tree.

"A little excited, are we? You know, you were always one of those kids who looked for your Christmas presents when your parents weren't home, right?"

"Of course I was. But, I never found them. My mom has one hell of a hiding place that I still don't know about."

Pulling the small wrapped package from under the tree, I walked back to the couch and placed it on the coffee table.

"I want you to open my present first." Syd told me as she pulled a box from behind her back.

"If you say so. Let me read the card first."

_Vaughn-_

_Words can't describe how wonderful these last 8 months have been for me. I will never be able toexplain what I feel for you or how deep it is. So all I want to tell you is that I love you… now, forever, and everyday in between. You have my heart._

_Merry Christmas-_

_Syd_

I was emotional after reading the card and I'll admit it. The card was all I needed. Syd didn't need to write a long letter to me to show how she felt. She wrote 3 lines and her words meant the world to me.

"Cry over it later. Open up your gift now." She teased me while running her hands along my jaw.

Ripping off the red wrapping paper, I nearly fell to the floor with shock as I gazed down at my gift. In my hands, I held a framed autographed picture of Wayne Gretzky, my childhood hero.

"This is…"

"Yeah it is, Vaughn."

"How did you? I don't believe it… I mean… Syd." I was so completely stunned that my hands began to shake.

"Francie and I found this sports collector's shop called Lefties in the city. Originally, I was planning on ordering you a custom made Kings jersey. But, I saw that on the wall and I knew I had to get it for you." She explained, laughing at my incapability to utter any full sentence.

"I can't tell you how much this means to me." I finally squeaked out.

"You don't have to. I can see it in your eyes."

Placing the picture frame carefully on the table, I cupped Syd's face in my hands and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Thank you. You're incredible, you know that?" I asked, kissing her again.

"I just want to make you happy."

**Syd's POV**

After Vaughn was done admiring, kissing, and imagining all the different places he could frame his Wayne Gretzky picture, he handed me a small box from his pocket.

"Oh wait… your card is on the kitchen table. Be right back." He told me.

Jogging back into the family room, he handed me my Christmas card. Whatever he had to say in here, I knew it would be good since Vaughn managed to always say the most heartfelt words.

_Merry Christmas Syd! I know how you get when I turn serious and I don't want to make you cry on Christmas. But I just wanted to thank you. For being there for me when my mom got sick, for seeing me through everything and giving me the strength to fight, for being the most loving, caring and supportive person in the world. You've been my best friend and always will be. _

_I loved you from the beginning and I'll never stop…_

_Vaughn_

"I'm not crying!" I joked, hardly being able to spit out the words due to Vaughn always choking me up.

Opening the black velvet box, a small, white gold angel pendant sat inside with diamonds along the halo. The angel, sparkling under the bright lights of the room, stood sideways holding a small red heart in it's hands.

"Vaughn… it's perfect." I gasped as I took the necklace out of the box.

"I knew it was when I saw it."

Taking the necklace out of my hands, Vaughn reached behind and clasped it around my neck. Immediately I ran to the mirror to take a look at it. It was the most precious gift I had ever received.

"Oh it's beautiful!" I shouted, lightly touching the pendant with my fingers.

"They told me the stone in the heart is red sapphire. That was the last one left." He explained.

Throwing my arms around his waist, I hugged him tightly, and then ran kisses all around his jaw and chin.

"I absolutely love it. Thank you, Vaughn." I whispered before kissing him.

"You know, these presents are going to be pretty hard to top next year. I think we outdid ourselves." He joked, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

"Yeah… well I don't need anymore presents. All I need is you." I sighed.

The next morning when I awoke, I threw on some pajama pants and a sweater and made my way downstairs. I had never experienced a snowy Christmas before. Ever since I was a kid, I'd look out the window of my house hoping the Christmas magic had worked it's way to California and that the ground would be covered in white snow.

It was a tradition I did every morning and every year I'd be a bit disappointed that my fantasy didn't come true.

By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, the familiar smell of pancakes and eggs hit my nose. Knowing my dad never really touched a pot or pan, I was surprised to see him pouring more pancake batter onto the grill.

"Dad… you haven't cooked breakfast since I was around 4." I greeted him as I walked into the kitchen.

"I thought I'd give it a shot since it was Christmas morning. Which, by the way, Merry Christmas Sydney."

Walking over to my father, I planted a kiss on his cheek before peeling off an end of a pancake and sticking it in my mouth.

"Merry Christmas to you too. This smells delicious. Pancakes and eggs too? Wow Dad, this is a change." I joked, pulling the carton of orange juice out of the fridge.

"I wanted to do something special for you. I know your mother always used to cook you breakfast."

A sudden sadness poured over the both of us as we started to think of mom and remember all of the good times we shared with her. Holidays were always hard considering it was just the two of us. My mother loved Christmas just as much as I did and would always have more of a spring in her step around the holidays.

When she was alive, every year we would string the popcorn together for the Christmas tree and would have to cook dozens of pots of popcorn because we'd find ourselves munching on it instead of putting it on the strings.

"I miss her too, Dad." I said, knowing he was thinking about the same thing I was.

"I know." He responded while he threw some hash browns into the pot.

The breakfast was quiet, but a comfortable quiet as we ate and reminisced about funny Christmas memories. I never knew that my dad had remembered so many of my childhood memories since he wasn't around too much after my mother had died.

It was like he shut himself off from the world, including me and was only living and going through the routines because it was the only thing he knew how to do.

"Would you like to open up the presents now?" He asked, taking both of our empty plates to the sink.

"Yeah, let's do it in the family room though. I already put your gift under the tree."

Making our way through the threshold, the both of us sat on the floor close to the tree and grabbed our gifts. It was the first year in many years that a Christmas tree had been up in our house. When I came home from San Francisco, I had convinced my father to buy a tree and decorated it with Vaughn a few days before Christmas Eve.

"Ok dad, this is my first gift for you." I told him, handing him a long, thin box.

Ripping off the red wrapping paper, he opened up the box and held the navy blue tie in his hands.

"Thank you Sydney. I can never have enough ties. I love it." He told me while tucking the tie carefully back in the box and placing it next to him.

"And here is your other gift. Francie helped me pick it out so I hope you like it."

Right before my dad started opening his present, I could hear my phone beeping from the kitchen. Instructing my dad to wait till I got back, I ran to my phone knowing it was a message from Vaughn.

_Merry Christmas Syd! I know you're with your dad right now so I didn't want to call and disturb you guys. But, I'm just dropping you a line to tell you guys Merry Christmas. My mom got me Kings tickets! Love you!_

_-V_

I smiled to myself know how excited he was over his Kings tickets. After replying quickly, I made my way back into the family room and took a seat.

"Was that Vaughn?"

"Yeah, he said Merry Christmas." I responded. "Ok, open it up now. I'm excited."

Bouncing around like a little kid, I anticipated my dad's reaction to the watch. I was hoping he would love it after all the time I spent trying to figure out which one he would like. I pissed off one good salesman attempting to find the perfect style.

My dad's eyes widened a bit after he opened the box and found the silver watch sitting inside.

"So… what do you think?" I asked, trying to read him through his eyes.

"Sydney, it's perfect. How much did this cost you? Let me pay you back." He said quickly, taking off the watch and strapping it on his wrist. It looked great on him and fit perfectly.

"Don't worry about it. I knew you needed a new watch since you've been wearing that other one forever."

After polishing his new watch with the bottom of his shirt, my dad handed me my gift that was, to no surprise, wrapped in a bag instead of wrapping paper. He never did figure out how to wrap presents.

I threw the tissue aside and was surprised when I reached in and found a picture frame. I gasped in surprise as I looked down and realized it was an old picture of my parents and I when I was around 4 or 5. It was outside on our porch with me in a sundress and tightly grasping onto my father's neck. My mother stood on the left side of him with one arm wrapped around his waist with her other hand placed on my back. The three of us smiled at the camera brightly, looking like the perfect little family.

A lone tear escaped from my eye while I examined the picture closely. I missed being a child. I missed being young and innocent. But mostly, I missed having my mother.

"I found that picture a few days ago in my closet and had it framed. You can take it to San Francisco with you when you go back." He told me, lightly touching the corner of the frame.

"Seriously dad, I think this is the best gift you've ever given me."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated!**


	38. PART II Chapter 12

_Hi guys! Here's another update... hello to a few new readers. :) It's nice to have you on board. I know the updates have been slower, but I'm working full time now and it blows, less time to write. But this story is still going strong and I'm always finding some time to write. Almost always real late at night. :) Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Maybe I'll postanother one at the end of the week if you guys like it... Hehe._

PART II- Chapter 12.

**Vaughn's POV**

I spent the night staring at my ceiling. When Syd and I were in 8th grade, we spent the whole day placing those glow in the dark stars all the over my ceiling creating this fake galaxy. And almost every night that I couldn't sleep after those stars were placed on my ceiling, I'd stare endlessly at them.

Most of the time they gave me a peaceful feeling and calmed me. They brought back fond memories and of course reminded me of Sydney. Sure it wasn't the manliest thing a guy could have on his ceiling, but I never dared to take them down.

With my hands tucked behind my head and Syd resting peacefully beside me, I wondered why my parents were cursed with such bad luck. It was bad enough my dad was taken from us when I was just 8 years old, but now my mother? She spent the last 11 years mourning, grieving, and missing him to the point where she would drive herself crazy.

I had always been a strong believer in the idea that things happen for a reason. Even after my father had died, I was still thankful for what I had. I would've traded anything in the world to bring him back, but the relationship I developed with my mom because of his absence became priceless.

After my mother got sick, I started to question my beliefs. I found myself cursing God for putting me through this, for putting my mother through all the pain. I didn't understand what fate had against me. I was forced to grow up too fast when my father died. I took on responsibilities that a young boy should've never had to. But I did it because I knew it's what my father wanted.

I managed to get in an hour of sleep until I glanced at my clock and saw that it was 5:15am. Scooting out of bed carefully, I crept over to Syd's side and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. She stirred slightly, blinking her eyes a few times and reaching for my hand.

"Hey… I'm going to bring my mom to the hospital now. Sleep here as long as you want. I'll see you at the hospital, ok?" I whispered, brushing her hair out of her face.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you guys? Are you going to be ok, Vaughn?"

"I'll be fine. Just come to the hospital as soon as you wake up. I should actually have some time alone with my mom before she goes in."

"Ok. I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you." She told me as she cupped my face and kissed me on my cheek.

"I love you too."

The ride to the hospital was dead silent. My hands shook while I gripped the steering wheel tightly as my mom sat in the passenger's seat with her left hand clenched around her rosary. After all these years and all that has happened to her, she still believed in her faith and it was something I found remarkable.

Checking into the hospital, my mom was brought into the large pre-op room where she changed into her hospital gown and tucked herself tightly into the bed. I cringed when the nurse came over and stuck the IV in her hand. I could almost feel the pain shooting up into my own hand while my mom didn't even flinch.

After her IV was successfully put in and all of the pre-surgery procedures were finished, we had only 20 minutes before she would be taken in. I pulled up a seat right next to her bed and kissed her hand before holding on tightly.

Silent tears rolled down her cheeks and for the first time, my mother showed fear.

"Don't cry mom," I whispered. "Everything's going to be ok."

"I know… I was just thinking about how grown up you are now. I still remember when you were 11 years old and would come into the house every night before dinner covered in dirt from head to toe." She laughed in between tears.

"I wasn't that much of a trouble maker, was I?"

"Of course not. You were so sweet and considerate, even at a young age. Oh and you were so handsome as a child."

"What? I'm not handsome now?" I joked, hoping I would make her smile.

"Oh Michael, I don't need to remind you how good looking you have grown up to be. I was just saying people used to compliment me at the grocery store all the time saying how cute of a child you were. Your light blonde hair and green eyes always got other mothers smiling at you." She told me as she patted a tissue under her eyes.

A silence hung over us for awhile as I watched the nurses hurrying around the work station. Other patients began to fill the room one by one while my mother watched the silent TV in the corner. Minutes passed and soon Dr. Martin entered wearing green scrubs instead of her usual white coat.

"Hello Amélie. How are you feeling this morning?" Dr. Martin asked, looking over her chart.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Well, everyone is set up and ready to go in there. Like I said before, this procedure is long, but we have every belief that you will pull through fine. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." My mom sighed. "Just give a minute alone with my son, please."

"Of course. I'll be back in a couple of minutes to take you in."

After Dr. Martin walked away, my mother turned to me and took both of my hands in hers. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes already as I fought to hold them back.

"Michael… sweetheart. No matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you and I am so proud of you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me." She said to me, running her thumb lightly over my knuckles.

"No Mom." I choked out. "Don't act like you're saying goodbye because you're not. You're coming back to me."

"I'll try as hard as I can to come back to you."

Pulling me forward, I embraced her tightly while tears ran down both of our cheeks. Finally pulling back, she placed a kiss on my forehead and then on my cheek.

"I'll see you in a little while." She told me smiling.

**Syd's POV**

I ran a mental check list off in my head right before I left the house. Extra clothes, snacks, magazines, and Vaughn's game boy were all tucked into my backpack as I patted Donovan on the head and shut the front door.

Leaving my father a message on his voicemail to tell him I'd be at the hospital all day, I hopped into my car and sped off towards the hospital.

Weiss and Francie weren't due to arrive at the airport until 6pm which gave Vaughn and I plenty of time at the hospital to wait. When Francie called me the night before she was already livid with Weiss. Apparently he wouldn't stop talking about Emily's Christmas gift for him and how she surprised him on Christmas Eve and showed up at his house.

I believe Fran's words were, 'I want to strangle that whore and shoot Weiss in the face.' Funny how you can look at Francie and never know she has a complete violent side to her.

When I finally made it to the hospital, I quickly parked the car and took the elevator up to the 5th floor. Vaughn was sitting in the corner of the small waiting room staring down at the bottom of his sweater. As soon as he spotted me he got up from his chair and threw his arms around my body.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry." I told him, dropping my backpack and wrapping my arms around his waist.

"She… she was so scared Syd. She tried to act like everything was ok, but I could see it in her eyes. I felt so helpless." He sighed.

Taking his hand, I led him back to the couch and placed myself closely next to him. He clutched to my hand tightly, not being able to bring his eyes up to meet mine.

"Hey… she's going to be fine, Vaughn. Your mom is the strongest person I know. She'll pull through." I tried my best to comfort him, but I didn't know how helpful I was being.

When Vaughn was worried, or angry, or sad, he wouldn't talk about it. Instead, he'd just stay silent and keep everything inside.

"I know." He responded quietly. "Don't leave me, ok? I need you Syd."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here as long as you need me too."

Hospitals always gave me a weird, unsettling feeling. They were always so depressing with people being rushed in and out of the emergency room, children coming out with casts around their arms and legs, and concerned family members sitting patiently in the hundreds of waiting rooms.

After getting tired of watching Dr. Phil on the TV screen, I pulled out my Cosmo and began to read. The first headline I see jumping out at me in bright, bold orange writing reads 'Sex Treats for Him.' Immediately I flipped to the table of contents and found the exact page I was looking for.

Nudging Vaughn in the side, I flashed the page in front of him hoping I would get a laugh or two out of him.

"You want to do that now?" He asked surprised.

"No! I was just showing you for future references and hoping I'd make you smile."

"Oh…" He sighed in relief. "I was going to say, what has gotten into you? Thanks… yeah, make sure you keep that."

It was good to see him lighten up a bit. He'd been sitting there so seriously, either gnawing on his nails or running his hands over his face.

I was actually glad hearing his stomach growl in the early afternoon and realized the two of us hadn't eaten anything except for the pack of skittles we shared from the vending machine. Convincing him to leave the hospital for an hour, I grabbed his hand and lead him across the street to Pete's Café.

Somehow, the hospital food always grossed me out. I had experienced eating the watery soup after my car accident and didn't want to risk eating food from the cafeteria. I doubted it would be any different from the stuff I was forced to eat.

Vaughn picked at his burger slowly once our food had arrived and I was hungrily nibbling on my French fries.

"Ok Vaughn, you're going to have to eat." I told him concerned as I gently rubbed his back.

"I'm not really hungry." He sighed.

"But your stomach was growling back there. At least eat half so you get some food in you."

Out of all the years I had known Vaughn, he had never lost his appetite for anything. He was the same guy that could eat a whole pizza after Thanksgiving dinner. I never understood how he would keep his body in almost perfect shape after eating as much as he did. Although, I did see an Ab cruncher under his bed once and figured that was his trick.

Once Vaughn had gotten started on his food, he was ok and managed to finish his whole meal. I even distracted him for a bit when I was telling him the story about how Weiss bought 3 goldfish for the family room and ended up killing them after 2 days.

Leave it to Weiss to overfeed goldfish when they're the ones that can live off of no food for a whole year. We had a proper burial at sea for Sonny, Tom, and Fredo by flushing them all down the toilet. Weiss was heartbroken saying he had an emotional attachment to those fish after naming them after the brothers in the Godfather.

**Vaughn's POV**

"I can't believe you don't eat ketchup on your fries. It's like a crime not to eat fries with ketchup." I joked with Syd after I downed my burger and watched her finish up her food.

"Geez Vaughn. I'm not the one that uses a whole bottle of the stuff every time we eat out at a restaurant." She shot back.

"What? They don't put it on tables for people NOT to use them."

Smiling to herself, she ate the last handful of her French fries smiling and sneaking glances at me.

"What are you smiling at?" I asked curiously.

"Nothing… it's just, it's good to see you laugh, that's all."

"Well, I feel a bit better after eating. I'm sorry if I seem distant, I just can't stop thinking about my mom in there. I don't know what's going on and I feel so helpless."

Reaching her hand over to mine, she entwined our fingers and then moved closer to me to kiss me on the cheek.

"Stop thinking about it, ok? If you keep worrying, you're going to drive yourself crazy. It's out of your control and all you can do is pray and hope." She sighed.

"I know. You're right. C'mon, let's get back."

Scooting out of the booth, I walked over to the cash register and paid our bill. I never let Syd pay of anything since I always felt the need to take care of her. Whether she liked it or not, I always believed in the old fashion way of the guys taking care of the bill.

As soon as we got back to the hospital, I fell asleep on Syd's shoulder, exhausted from not getting a wink of sleep the night before. I was nudged awake a few hours later. Thinking it was Syd touching my shoulder, I grabbed her hand and was about to kiss it until it felt unfamiliarly hairy and big.

Squinting from the bright lights of the waiting room, my eye sight finally came into focus and I found Weiss standing a little too close to me.

"Ahhh! What the hell! I thought you were Sydney!" I yelled, jumping up from the chairs and off of Sydney's lap.

"Well hello to you too Mike. I haven't seen my best friend for 6 months and that's the greeting I get?" Weiss joked.

I was still a little out of it from my long nap, but after coming out of it, I realized Francie was sitting next to Sydney and Weiss was eying me like something was wrong.

"Sorry man, I was out of it. It's good to see you Weiss." Shaking his hand firmly, I walked over to Francie and gave her a tight hug.

"Michael!" She shouted. "Weiss and I walked in here and you were asleep on Syd's lap. I didn't want to wake you but it was Weiss' idea."

"Yeah, I figured."

Standing up, Syd walked towards me and started running her hands through my messy hair.

"You were so out of it you started snoring." She said chuckling.

"I guess I was more tired than I thought. I didn't sleep that much."

Leaning down to kiss her, Weiss cleared his throat while Francie let out a string of, "Awww's."

"Ok, I really felt bad that you two were away from each other, but really, stop making out in the middle of the hospital. There's two old ladies over there in the corner glaring at you." Weiss told us, lightly punching Vaughn in the arm. "How's your mom? Have you heard anything?"

"I haven't heard anything since a couple of hours after she went in. The nurse said she was doing well and they were right on schedule. It should be over pretty soon."

The four of us took a seat around the waiting room and laughed and reminisced about my time up in San Francisco. It was great having Weiss and Francie around again because they surprisingly comforted me.

Francie looked exactly the same as her and Sydney flipped through a magazine while Weiss and I chatted about the hockey season. His hair was longer and his face was unshaved, but he was still the same Weiss I knew.

He managed to slip in a little info about Emily, but kept his voice quiet while stealing a glance at Friancie. I knew he didn't like talking about Emily when Francie was around from what Sydney had told me.

He looked happy, not as happy as he would be with Francie, but I didn't tell him that. He was obviously fighting an inner battle within himself and I didn't need to feed fuel to the fire. I had wished things would've worked out differently, but it wasn't my right to say anything.

"You look good, man." Weiss complimented me. "You've been lifting weights? You're thin."

"Yeah, I've been working out a lot. You know, it helps with the stress during the hard days. I set up this makeshift gym in the garage of my house."

"Sydney looks happy. She's pretty quiet when we're at school. She's ok and all, but you can tell she misses you."

"I know." I sighed. "Believe me, you don't even know how hard it is to be away from her. I'm going to have to miss this semester too. After my mom's surgery, she has to go into radiation. So, I'm not going back up there until August."

"I'm sorry Mike. I wish things were different and your mom didn't have to go through this. It must be rough."

"It is. But, I get through it. My mom's so strong and I have Syd to always rely on." I responded, glancing at my watch and realizing it's been almost 10 hours.

"Well, you're lucky. Sydney Bristow is as good as it gets. I know you know that."

Just then, my mother's doctor came walking through the waiting room obviously searching for me. She looked exhausted with her hair in a messy ponytail and her scrubs looking ruffled. My heart raced as I realized what she was about to say to me was extremely important.

I stood up quickly while Sydney came over and grasped my hand tightly. Planting a comforting kiss on the side of my head, she leaned over and rubbed my back soothingly.

"It's going to be ok, Vaughn." She whispered into my ear.

As soon as Dr. Martin approached us, she spoke quietly. "Michael… I'm afraid I have some bad news."

_hides_

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	39. PART II Chapter 13

_Hi guys! Thank you so much for your reviews. The response from the last chapter was amazing. I told you I'd get up another one by the end of the week so here it is:) I'll let you get on with it now. Thanks again for the reviews!_

PART II- Chapter 13.

**Syd's POV**

"Michael… I'm afraid I have some bad news."

I could see the fear flash through Vaughn's eyes that very second as I gripped harder on to his hand. His body tensed up under my touch and he immediately furrowed his forehead in concern.

"Oh god. Please don't tell me something went wrong." Vaughn pleaded frantically.

"Your mother is resting and she's made it through the surgery. But, the surgery was such a long process and she was cut open for a long period of time, an infection has developed in her stomach. Fluids have started to form and there's a possibility she could go into shock." Dr. Martin explained.

"Is it bad? Is she going to make it out of it?" He asked, hoping Dr. Martin would have good news.

"We don't know, Michael. We are fairly confident that we got all of the cancer cells and your mother's tumor was fully removed. But, the infection could be dangerous. The fluids sitting in her stomach is not a good sign. We are treating her with intense antibiotics right now and she's still heavily sedated. If we can get rid of this infection, your mother can recover. She's up in room 1104. You may go see her immediately." Patting Vaughn comfortingly on the shoulder, Dr. Martin walked back down the hallway.

The breath all of us were unconsciously holding all came out in relief. The four of us were expecting the worst after Dr. Martin told us she had bad news. I was frightened that Vaughn was going to run out of the room before Dr. Martin even spoke.

"I thought she was gone Syd." Vaughn sighed, wrapping his arms around me.

"I know sweetie."

"It's not over yet. She still has to beat this infection. I swear to god, this is never going to end."

"Yes it will, Vaughn." I told him as I stroked the side of his face. "She made it through the worst part. Come on, let's go see her."

After convincing Francie and Weiss that they weren't intruding, the four of us made our way up to the 11th floor. Amélie looked to be resting comfortably when we walked in with just an IV and oxygen mask hooked up to her.

Vaughn walked over and lifted the blanket over her frail body in attempt to make sure she was warm enough. Taking a seat in one of the chairs in the corner of the room, Weiss grabbed the remote control and flipped on the television.

"Damn, this room is bigger than mine at home. Does this thing have cable?" He asked quietly.

"Weiss, we're not at a hotel! Get your feet off of there!" Francie hissed, hitting the bottom of Weiss' legs that had been propped up on a table. "Guys, if you want us to leave so you guys have your privacy, I understand."

"Francie, it's fine. I'd really like it if you guys stayed." Vaughn reassured her.

Nurses walked in and out of the room constantly, taking Amélie's blood pressure and checking her vitals. For the most part, we attempted to stay quiet, but Weiss would constantly would be breaking equipment in the room or laughing loudly at the TV.

Finally, Francie volunteered her and Weiss to pick up dinner just so Weiss would stop messing around. As soon as they left, I looked at Vaughn's tired eyes and realized the emotion spent on the day has wore him out.

With his head propped on his elbow, he sat staring at the heart rate monitor that softly beeped in the corner.

"You ok?" I asked, reaching out and running my hand up and down his bare arm.

"Yeah, you know, I just want her to wake up already."

"I'm sure she will. She's under antibiotics and heavy pain medication so she's going to be out for a while. Maybe we should take a walk or something. It'd be good to get some fresh air." I suggested.

"Ok. That sounds like a good idea."

After exiting through the sliding glass doors, I wrapped my arm around Vaughn's waist as we strolled toward the big park a few blocks away from the hospital. The sun was slowly setting in the sky, but the air was still crisp causing me to pull my jacket tighter around my body.

A comfortable silence hit the both of us while we breathed in the fresh air and took in our surroundings. The trees lined up side by side on the streets were bare of leaves giving the real Winter feel to Los Angeles. Considering we didn't have anything close to snow, it was the closest to Winter that we ever had.

Stopping as we reached a wooden bench, Vaughn and I sat closely together at the end of the park watching several children playing tag near the swing set.

"I miss those days." Vaughn sighed, rubbing his hands together quickly for warmth.

"I know. We were so innocent as kids."

"Don't you remember that one Christmas, maybe when you were 5, that your mom bought you that bright pink bike with rainbow tassels hanging from the handles?"

"Yes, the one you made me fall off of?" I teased.

"I didn't make you fall off the bike, Syd. I just told you it was easier if you take the training wheels off."

"I didn't have that bike for more than a week before you convinced me that training wheels were for little kids. Right after my dad took the training wheels off, I fell in your driveway and scraped my knee. Do you remember that? Your dad carried me into the house cause I wouldn't stop crying."

"Of course I remember. Then you kissed me on the cheek because I gave you that red lollipop after my dad cleaned up your knee."

Leaning his head down, Vaughn placed a playful kiss on my nose before brushing a few strands of hair away from my face.

"I can't believe you remember me kissing you on the cheek." I said surprised.

"I could never forget… you were my first kiss."

Snuggling deeper into his embrace, I laid my head on his shoulder and enjoyed the warmth radiating from his body. We smiled, watching the little kids play their game and reminiscing in our own heads of all our childhood memories.

"So, I was talking to Weiss today…" Vaughn interrupted the silence. "And I was explaining to him that I'm not going back to San Francisco at the end of the month. I'm going to have to take off another semester Syd."

"I figured." I whispered disappointedly.

"I'm so sorry Sydney. I know that everything is going wrong right now cause we were supposed to move in together and having the times of our lives in college, but my mom still has to go through radiation and I can't leave her."

"Oh Vaughn, you don't have to apologize. I know what you're priorities are and it's fine. I want you to stay with your mom. Don't worry about it, ok? We have all the time in the world to move in together." I responded.

"I know, I just can't help but feel left out sometimes. I feel that I'm missing out on so much when I'm down here. I'm missing all of the movie nights and parties you guys are going to. I'm missing a whole year of school, which is going to set me back and screw over my plans of graduating in 4 years. But mostly, being away from you is the hardest. I don't know what I'm going to do when you have to go back again, Syd."

"Lets not think about that right now. We can worry about that later." I told him, kissing his lips softly.

We sat on the bench a little bit longer, enjoying the fresh air until it got too cold and began to walk back to the hospital. By that time my hands and feet were freezing and I clung to Vaughn for body heat.

I was in bad need of coffee or hot chocolate after we reached the hospital. Luckily, Weiss and Francie had already returned and read my mind. Handing me my coffee, Weiss reminded me that he decided to not order my usual decaf since I'd most like be needing the energy.

While Vaughn walked back into the room to check on his mom, Weiss, Francie and I took seats in the much smaller waiting room on the 11th floor and munched on the snacks that they brought back from the store.

"I think it's really sweet the way Michael is with his Mom. He's so caring and protective. You can tell they're really close." Francie told me, sipping slowly on her coffee.

"They've always been close. Even when we were growing up, Vaughn always made sure she was cared for. He's worried though. I wish I could cheer him up."

"God, Syd. You are so lucky. Michael is the type of guy all of us single girls are looking for. It's a rare kind of breed where guys are that good looking and come with the full package."

"I know, I am lucky, aren't I?" I sighed, glancing Vaughn's way as he strolled back to the waiting room.

"So is he good in bed?"

"Francie!" I yelled surprised.

"What? Sydney, I have no boyfriend. I am getting no action. I'm behind Weiss for god's sake. At least clue me in a little!"

"He's French. So what do you think?" I joked.

"My mom's still sleeping. I don't think she's going to wake up any time soon. What are you guys talking about?" Vaughn questioned curiously, taking a seat next to me and grabbing his Gatorade off of the table.

"Oh, just girl stuff." I replied as I snuck a smirk at Fran.

**Vaughn's POV**

I was getting a little worried about my mother since she still hadn't awaken from her surgery and it was far passed visiting hours. The nurses had agreed to let the four of us stay as long as we didn't make any noise and kept the door closed.

Francie and Weiss, even with our insistence to get some rest, told us they weren't going to until my mother had woken up. It was hard knowing if she was in any pain or resting comfortably since she hadn't moved since they brought her in.

I grimaced as I looked down at her hand and saw the purple and blue marks forming around the needle of the IV. I was worried the infection was getting worse and we didn't know it because she was unconscious.

Glancing over at Syd, she gave me a comforting smile before picking up my hand. Just then, Weiss' cell phone rang loudly, disturbing Francie of her nap while she glared at Weiss.

To no one's surprise, it was Emily phoning up Weiss to tell him that she was going to bed. The three of us rolled our eyes and wanted to gag ourselves after we overheard Emily calling Weiss her teddy bear. I hadn't even met the girl before and she was already beginning to annoy me.

I seriously thought Francie was about to throw the hospital chair in his direction after he played the, 'You hang up!' 'No you hang up!' game.

After closing shut his cell phone, Weiss turned to me and whispered, "Hey… Emily was wondering if it would be ok if she flew down here in a couple of days. She really wants to meet you."

"C'mon Eric, that would be intruding Michael's privacy!" Francie murmured.

"I wasn't asking you, I was asking Mike!"

"And I was just saying, he probably doesn't want Emily here. He's got enough to handle as it is. We're not on some fabulous vacation. We're here for Michael and his mother."

"Why are you getting upset over this Francie? This isn't your decision." Weiss argued back.

"Well you're annoying the hell out of all of us with your stupid phone calls to that tramp!"

Sydney and I just stared at each other after Francie's outburst. Neither of us had the guts to jump in and were actually scared of Weiss' reaction. It was obvious to all of us that Francie had reached her limit with Emily.

"Guys, maybe we should talk quieter." Syd whispered, attempting to break the tension.

"Don't you call Emily a tramp! What the hell is your problem with her? Stop acting like such a bitch Fran!" Weiss shouted, standing up to walk towards the door.

"I'm not acting like a bitch! You're acting like some stupid love struck fool. You turned into a sap Eric and it's pissing all of us off."

"Whatever. I'm going to take a walk and let you cool off. Obviously you're sleep deprived or on some major PMS trip. Come find me when you're back to normal."

And with that, Weiss exited the room and slammed the door on his way out. Francie looked down at her hands embarrassed, not knowing what to say. She lifted herself from the chair shortly after and quietly exited.

Taking a glance at Syd, she shrugged her shoulders and quickly shook her head. Neither one of us knew what we were supposed to do.

Suddenly, Weiss came storming back in, tugging at the collar of his jacket.

"She has no right to call my girlfriend a tramp! She is not a tramp!" He yelled while pacing back and forth in front of Amélie's bed. "You know, I tried to make this situation work. I knew Francie was going to act like this. She can't have it both ways."

"Eric, I think you need to calm down." I said quietly.

"I don't need to calm down! I'm sick of this. I'm tired of her blowing me off and then deciding she wants me after I'm already taken. It's not fair!"

"We know it's not fair, but you need to be quiet before we all get kicked out of here. It's past midnight."

Sydney quickly excused herself and announced she was going to find Francie as Weiss took a seat and with his head in his hands. It was silent for a moment. Weiss' loud breathing paired with the beeping of my mom's heart monitor filled the room.

I was just about to say something when the door swung open again and Francie came storming in. Throwing her empty soda bottle at Weiss, she continued to yell at him, not stopping for a breath in between cuss words.

"If you would've just waited… if you would've just waited for me Eric, I wouldn't be so angry with you!" Fran screamed as Syd shut the door.

"I did wait! I waited half a year for you to make up your stupid mind! Finally, I gave up. What did you want from me? I wasn't going to be waiting around forever." He yelled back. Standing up to leave, he gripped tightly to his jacket and proceeded to walk towards the door.

"Eric, don't." Francie sighed.

"Don't what?"

Suddenly, Francie leaned in towards Weiss and kissed him hard on the mouth, causing him to stumble backwards and hit the wall.

Again, Sydney and I had no idea what to do. All we could do was stand there and watch our two best friends have the biggest fight of their lives and then begin kissing in my mom's hospital room. Finally, they both pulled away and gasped for oxygen.

"I'm sorry. I have to go." Weiss murmured, hanging his head low and walking out the door.

Watching him walk out the door, Francie hung her head to the ground and then collapsed onto the chair.

"Why do they always kiss each other and run away after?" I whispered to Sydney.

"Shut up Vaughn, you're not helping." She answered back. "Fran? Maybe I should take you back to my house and you can get some rest."

"Are you sure? Where's Eric going to be? You think I should call him?"

"No… Weiss will be fine. C'mon, I'll drive you home."

While Syd left to drive Francie home, I covered myself with the extra blanket the nurse brought in and attempted to get a few minutes of sleep. My eyelids were beginning to feel heavy and my back was sore from sleeping on the hard chairs in the waiting room.

I was just about to drift off when the nurse on the night shift came in to do her rounds. Lifting my head slightly, I turned to see her touching my mom's forehead with the back of her hand. A concerned look spread across her face as she took a thermometer from the drawer and placed it in my mom's mouth.

Lifting myself from the chair, I threw back the blanket and grabbed my mom's hand, immediately noticing that her palms were beginning to sweat.

"She's really warm." I told the nurse, feeling my mother's forehead for myself.

"Her temperature is at 102.3 right now. Stay here with her while I go get a cold rag to try and cool her down. Take some of the blankets off." She instructed, walking quickly towards the bathroom.

Just as I was peeling the heavy wool blanket from her body, I felt her hand grip tightly to mine while her eyelids slowly opened.

"Mom? Mom, you're awake. The nurse is going to be right back, ok? You have a fever but you're going to be fine." I assured her.

"Michael…" She squeaked out. "Michael… Please, get a doctor. I'm burning up." She choked out almost faintly.

Running towards the entrance to the room, I peeked my head out to see if anyone was in sight. Sydney appeared seconds later, emerging from the elevator doors with an extra pair of clothes.

"Syd!" I yelled. "My mom woke up! Please go and see if you can find a doctor. Her temperature is getting high."

As I walked back in, I grabbed my mother's hand and told her everything was going to be ok and that I wasn't going to leave. The nurse entered the room holding a cold rag, dabbing my mother's forehead in attempt to get her temperature to lower.

Her eyes closed slowly after Sydney entered the room with Dr. Martin.

"Her temp is 102.3. She was conscious for a couple of minutes before she drifted again Dr." The nurse explained.

Suddenly, my mother's body began to shake violently while her teeth chattered and the sheets wrapped all around her body. I began to panic, trying to hold my mother still while the doctor called for more nurses.

"She's going into shock." Dr. Martin yelled. "Michael, you're going to have to leave the room."

"No." I screamed. "I'm not leaving her! I told her I wouldn't leave her!"

With Sydney holding tightly to my arm, she dragged me out of the room while nurses rushed all around my mother. All I could do was watch from the small window of the door while my mother continued to shake.

Unexpectedly, a loud long beep could be heard outside the door as I looked up to see her heart rate monitor turn to a flat line.

_hides again_

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	40. PART II Chapter 14

_Ok, I felt bad after reading all of your reviews and leaving two evil cliffhangers. But aww, I'm just having fun with you guys. :) So I updated in case you were all ready to kill me or something. Enjoy the chapter! I know you'll like it. Please review after, thanks!_

PART II- Chapter 14.

**Vaughn's POV**

I felt like I was about to vomit. The room was spinning and I felt like someone was choking me. Gasping for air, I grabbed on to Syd's arm as she helped me to the waiting room. I didn't remember what had happened after I began to bang on the door of my mother's room. The last thing I saw was her heart rate flat lining.

Finally being able to catch my breath, Syd smoothed the hair from my face and handed me a bottle of water.

"What the hell happened?" I asked, still leaning on her body.

"I think you almost passed out. Vaughn, you need to relax. Your blood pressure is through the roof."

Taking a few swigs of water, the cool liquid went smoothly down my throat while I leaned my head back on the chair and closed my eyes. I could feel Syd rubbing her hand up and down my bare arm, pausing to examine the faded scars.

Her hand stopped completely when she reached the underside of my elbow. Her fingertips lightly trailed over the 4 inch scar that required stitches after my championship baseball game when I was just starting high school.

"Michael?" I heard Dr. Martin call from the end of the hall. Swiftly walking over, she immediately reassured us that my mother pulled through.

"Your mother is stable once again. The infection caused her body to go into shock. We have revived her, but because her body shook that much, some of her stitches were torn. We increased the pain medication since she shouldn't have been moving, but her infection is breaking. She shouldn't wake up until tomorrow morning so I suggest you two get some rest." She instructed, nodding her head, and then walking back down the hall.

"She's really testing us." I sighed to Syd, leaning down to rest my head on her shoulder.

"Well, your mom is always one for dramatics." She joked. "We really should get some rest, Vaughn. I know the both of us are exhausted."

Taking Syd's hand, we walked back into my mother's room to see her resting peacefully again. Her body didn't seem as heated after I touched her forehead to check on her temperature. Making sure she looked comfortable, I planted a kiss on her forehead and moved to sit next to Sydney.

Immediately, Syd took her hair out of her ponytail and lightly ran her fingers through her brown locks, smoothing out all of the tangles. She had changed into my gray SF State sweatshirt and sweats making my clothes look gigantic on her.

"I brought some extra clothes for you if you want to change, Vaughn." She whispered, grabbing the extra pillow and blanket off of the table.

"No, it's fine. I'm comfortable in this."

"Please tell me you're going to get some rest. I'm not going to sleep until you do."

"I promise, I'll sleep as much as I can." I reassured her, pulling my sweatshirt over my head.

Patting the chair lightly, Syd motioned for me to come and sit next to her. It wasn't the most comfortable chair in the world, but it was big enough for two people to sit on. How badly I wished the nurse would bring in an extra hospital bed or something.

Syd placed the pillow at the opposite end of the chair, then spread the blanket out over the both of us. I already knew my neck was going to ache tomorrow morning, but I had no choice if I didn't want to sleep on the floor.

"You comfortable?" She asked, running her fingers along my jaw.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

Placing a good kiss on my lips, she whispered goodnight and snuggled her body close to mine. Soon, her breathing leveled out against my chest and I could tell she was sleeping. Planting a kiss on her temple, I shut my eyes and attempted to attain some well-needed sleep.

The next time I awoke, I felt like I was in one of those sleep comas. My mind was conscious, telling my body to wake up, but I couldn't move my arms or legs. Finally being able to shake myself awake, I jumped up from the chair and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

The room was still dark, with the light peaking out from under the curtains. Reaching my arm out for Sydney, I felt around only to find that the rest of the chair was empty.

"Syd?" I called out quietly, searching around in the dark.

With no answer, I pulled my sweatshirt back on and made my way towards my mom's bed. I could see she had shifted some time during the night with her body turned slightly on her right side. Her breathing was normal and her heart rate was steady.

She had given me the biggest scare of my life the night before. The image of her body violently shaking and the nurses having to push me out of the room still flashed through my mind, bringing tears to my eyes.

The fear that cursed through my body was indescribable as my throat tightened up and I felt like someone was squeezing my windpipe shut. I thought I had truly lost her and as much as I tried to prepare myself for that moment, it still hit me hard.

Picking up her small hand, I placed it in mine and squeezed tightly, taking in the fact that she was still here with me.

"Hey sweetie… I brought you some coffee." Sydney greeted me while she walked in the door holding two coffee cups.

"Thanks Syd. What time did you wake up?" I asked, taking the coffee from her hand.

"About a half hour ago. You were freezing during the night. I kept waking up and your arms were cold. Did you sleep ok?"

"Yeah, I got a few good hours in. My mom should be waking up soon. She looks more comfortable and she's not as pale as yesterday." Running a hand over my tired face, I sighed loudly before taking another swig of my coffee.

"You ok Vaughn?"

"I don't know. Seeing her almost gone last night… it was like a million different things were flashing through my head. The one image I had was standing over her grave as they lowered the casket and me watching all the roses being thrown in. I couldn't shake it out of my mind."

Dr. Martin entered a few minutes later, checking on my mother and informing us that she was responding well to the antibiotics and pain medication. Francie had slipped in quietly while the doctor was talking to us, holding a box of delicious looking donuts.

To our surprise, Jack entered the room minutes after, hugging Sydney and shaking my hand firmly. He was dressed in his business suit, holding a small bouquet of tulips in his left hand.

"I don't know if your mother likes tulips, but I brought these because I know she enjoys working in her garden." He stated, handing me the flowers.

"Thank you Jack. She'll really enjoy these when she wakes up."

"I actually have to head to work. I just wanted to stop by to see how your mother was doing and to ask if you or Sydney need anything."

"We're fine. Thank you for stopping by. You know, it means a lot to us." I said sincerely. Patting me on the back, he glanced at my mother before giving Sydney another hug and walking out the door.

**Syd's POV**

After Vaughn exited the room to go get cleaned up, Francie and I sat near Amélie's bed and munched on the donuts she had brought. I could tell she was still worried about Weiss and upset about their fight last night.

Neither of us had heard from Weiss after he stormed out of the hospital room and Francie feared she had blown their final straw. For weeks they had tiptoed around the Emily situation like it never existed, ignoring the awkward tension that surrounded them every time they were together.

I knew it was just a matter of time before Francie would blow up on him. I can't say I don't condemn Weiss for reacting the way he did. I had seen both of their sides and neither one was to blame. It was all a matter of bad timing and Weiss had moved on.

"I still think Emily's a tramp." Fran groaned suddenly, biting into her sprinkled donut.

"So do I. You know, when she first started liking him, she used the excuse that she needed help with her Math class and she asked Weiss?"

"She asked Eric? That is so lame. He couldn't even pass his Math class the first semester. It's a good thing Vaughn isn't up in San Francisco with us. She'd probably try to get with him too."  
"Yeah, no kidding." I murmured.

"I have no way out of this, Syd. I can't go over your place to escape them because Eric is there. I can't stay at my place because she is there. Everywhere I go they're always together! Who spends that much time together?"

"Vaughn and I."

"Oh you two are an exception cause you're not normal." Fran joked. "Everyone else needs their space once in awhile. Doesn't she have any girlfriends to hang out with?"

"Francie… she thinks we're here girlfriends."

"Good point. We need to clear that up the next time we see her."

A few minutes later, Vaughn emerged from the bathroom wearing only his jeans with his blue boxers peaking out from the top of his pants. Francie's eyes widened a little as she looked at me and whispered 'Wow.'

Vaughn apparently spilled coffee on his shirt and had to rummage through my bag for an extra one. Not that I minded the sight or anything. When he bent down, his back muscles tightened in all the right spots while his strong shoulders looked unusually tanned.

My eyes were glued to his hips while he slipped a t-shirt over his head. With his jeans laying low without his usual belt, I was conveniently provided with a good view of his hip indents and lower back.

I said a silent thank you to the makeshift gym he built in his garage because it definitely benefited his body. Shaking my head, I scolded myself for having such thoughts while we were in a hospital where his mother was knocked unconscious.

Suddenly, a creak in the bed all brought our focus towards Amélie where she began to stir slowly out of her sleep. Her eyes squinted shut, shielding herself from the bright morning lights while her hands tightened around the blanket.

"Mom? Mom can you hear me?" Vaughn asked quietly.

Motioning for Vaughn to take the oxygen mask off, he carefully slid it off of her face and asked Francie to go find a nurse.

"Can you hand me some water?" She choked out, barely being able to speak.

"Are you feeling ok? How's the pain? Do you remember what happened last night?"

After taking long, slow gulps from the paper cup, Amélie attempted to sit up, then winced in pain as she realized it was best to stay immobile.

"Mom, you can't move. Your might tear some of your stitches again."

A nurse appeared in the doorway minutes later holding Amélie's chart in her hands. Immediately she asked her if she was hurting anywhere, holding up this ridiculous looking chart with smiley and unhappy faces as indicators of how much pain you were in.

Amélie responded by telling the young nurse that she didn't care what they gave her, as long as they increased the pain medication. I knew how intolerable she was to pain so hearing her asking for medicine made my heart drop.

Finally injecting another needle into Amélie's IV, the nurse left as Vaughn walked over to his mom and handed her another cup of water.

"You gave us one hell of a scare last night." He joked, hoping to get a smile out of her.

"I'm sorry, Michael, but I don't remember what happened." She whispered.

"Well… let's just say you gave me a heart attack at the age of 20. You woke up in the middle of the night and complained that you were getting too hot. All of a sudden your body started jerking all over the place and your eyes tilted back in your head." Vaughn paused for a second, the events of the previous night obvious shaking him up. "They pushed me out of the room and I watched your heart monitor go flat. I thought I had lost you, mom."

"Oh Michael…" Amélie cried. "I would never ever leave you. You hear me? I fought to come back to you."

Slow tears ran down Vaughn's face as he clenched his eyes shut in attempt to hide his emotion. Although Amélie couldn't do much to comfort him, she held on to his hand tightly and ran her thumb across the top of Vaughn's hand.

Tears began to spring up to my eyes while watching Vaughn and his mother from across the room. After all they had been through in their life, they still had that unbreakable bond I so badly wanted with my father.

Amélie was soon too weak to stay up for long periods of time, falling asleep shortly and leaving Francie, Vaughn and I to talk quietly.

"Tonight, I'm sleeping out in the waiting room. This chair killed my neck last night. Syd, will you rub this knot out for me?" Vaughn asked, scooting towards me and guiding my hand to his neck.

Pressing hard into his neck with my fingers, I tried my best to loosen up the built up tension in his shoulders.

"Really? I was comfortable last night."

"That's cause you used me as a pillow." He teased.

"What? I always lean on you when we're sleeping. Even in bed when I…"

"Ok!" Francie interrupted. "That's enough information than I want to know. I don't want to know what goes on when you guys are in bed."

"I wasn't going to say anything dirty. I'm not like that." I defended myself while Vaughn let out a little sarcastic laugh.

"I'll have to disagree with that one." He murmured, hoping I wouldn't catch what he said.

"Vaughn!" I yelled.

"What? Did I say that out loud?"

"Yes! And Fran, don't act innocent! You asked me yesterday if Vaughn was good in bed."

"You did? What did you tell her Syd?"

Before I could give an answer, Weiss walked in with a big bouquet of daises looking awfully tired and in bad need of a shower. He was tentative to enter the room at first, lingering at the doorway and sneaking a glance at Francie.

"Hey Weiss. What's up man? You didn't have to get my mom flowers or anything." Vaughn told him, reaching out to grab the daises.

"Actually… these are for Francie." He stated as he looked down at his shoes.

The room suddenly went silent while Weiss fumbled with the flowers. Francie's mouth had dropped open when she heard they were for her, but quickly recovered and hid her initial reaction.

"Oh... C'mon Syd. Let's give these two some privacy."

"No." Weiss put his hand up in the hair, halting our movements. "You guys stay."

Vaughn and I froze in our seats while we watched Weiss walk over to Fran and handed her the bouquet of flowers. Giving him a slight smile, she placed them in her lap and drummed her fingernails on the armrest anxiously.

"I… I wanted to apologize for last night. Well, for more than last night. But, mostly for running out on you like that and calling you a bitch. I didn't mean to say such harsh words." He paused for a moment, running a hand through his messy hair. "The truth is, I've been frustrated. I've been frustrated because Emily isn't the one I want to be with. I started dating her because I saw it as an opportunity to get over you. I figured that if I started spending time with another girl, even if I didn't like them that much, that I'd eventually forget about you and my feelings for you. But, I can't. As much as I tried Francie, I can't."

"Oh Eric." Fran choked out.

"No… let me finish. I broke up with Emily this morning. I know it's cruel to do it over the phone, but I couldn't lie to her anymore. She's a nice girl and she deserves better."

"Have you ever seen Weiss so serious before?" Vaughn whispered into my ear.

"No. But this is getting good so quiet." I responded.

"I thought a lot about what you said to me last night when you were arguing. And if you're still sticking to your word, then I'd love nothing more than to see if we can start things up."

Francie sat there shocked, as did Vaughn and I. First off, we couldn't believe how sober Weiss was being. I had never been in the same room with him for more than 10 minutes where he wouldn't crack a joke or have a wise comment for us.

"Eric… I… I want to take things slow. You know, if that's ok with you." Francie finally responded.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you want Fran."

Placing the flowers gently on the table, she stood up and enveloped Weiss in a big hug, laying her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. I wanted to clap out of pure joy while Vaughn wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. After kissing me on the cheek, he tilted his head to whisper in my ear.

"It's about damn time."

_See, I made things all better, right?_

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	41. PART II Chapter 15

_Thanks for all the reviews again! See, I wouldn't be that mean to you guys, hehe. Enjoy the next chapter!_

PART II- Chapter 15.

**Syd's POV**

"Vaughn! Vaughn… I think I'm going to fall." I yelled to him, reaching out my hand.

"You're not going to fall. It's all in your head. Just relax, be light on your feet and don't think about it. Now skate towards me and don't look down."

I did just as he told, slowly moving my ice skates forward without picking them up off of the ground. I put my arms straight out in hopes to keep my balance as I locked my eyes with Vaughn's and skated right into his arms.

"See? You didn't trip, did you?" He asked while pulling my scarf tighter around my neck.

The clear, black skies of the Los Angeles night were filled millions of stars hiding behind the hills and shining down on the big, crowded skating rink. The weather had been somewhat pleasant at the beginning of the day, now turning into a crisp breeze after the sun went down.

Amélie had been released from the hospital the week before, finally being able to go home despite the fact that she was still immobile. She had pleaded with the doctors for two weeks, begging them to let her go home. Finally, they complied, but not before giving Amélie strict instructions that she were to stay in bed for the next week and have constant 24 hour care looking after her.

She had recovered quite quickly, raising her spirits and all of our hope. Although she was ordered to take it easy not do anything strenuous, she was often smiling to herself as she rested, knowing that the absolute worst had passed.

After a week of caring for Amélie 24 hours a day, Vaughn's Aunt Trish came to visit and told Vaughn and I to go out and have some fun. We didn't need to be asked twice as we rushed out of the door and into Vaughn's car. Without knowing exactly where we were going, Vaughn unconsciously steered his way to the outdoor ice rink in the park.

"You look really cute in that hat, you know." I told him, latching on to his arm tightly while we skated slowly around the edge of the rink.

Vaughn had grabbed his Kings knit cap from the backseat of his car, pulling it tightly over his ears, causing the hair at the bottom of his neck to slightly stick out. His black cap made his brilliant green eyes look even shinier under the bright lights of the skating rink.

"Cute like little kid cute?" He responded.

"No. Cute like hot cute."

Not that Vaughn had to do much to make himself look better. His looks were practically flawless making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. It definitely didn't go unnoticed by the group of teenage girls standing outside of the rink. Every time we would pass by them, they would blush at Vaughn and giggle amongst themselves.

"I think those girls have a crush on you." I nudged him, nodding to the group of girls now entering the rink.

"They look like freshman in high school."

"Yeah, well they think you're pretty damn studly Michael Vaughn."

"Uh huh, and what do you think of me?" He asked playfully, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

"I guess you're ok…"

"Ahhh, I see how it is Bristow. You're playing dirty."

"Oh c'mon Vaughn, I think you know already. I don't need to tell you." I murmured.

"Tell me what?"

"That you're absolutely gorgeous." I sighed.

Instead of responding, Vaughn rolled his eyes, not wanting to hear me gush about how good-looking he was. Vaughn had always been the type of guy that was unaware of his hotness or the constant looks he always attracted from girls. The fact that he was so humble about it made him even sexier in my eyes.

I began to gain some confidence in my skating abilities, lifting my feet off of the ground a little higher and increasing the speed. I knew how badly Vaughn wanted to skate for real, being the super star hockey player that he was. I somehow felt that I was holding him back and apologized for being a slow learner.

Of course Vaughn didn't mind. Instead, he held on to my hand tightly, making sure I wouldn't lose my balance or run into the dozens of little kids skating circles around us.

From the moment we arrived at the rink, this one little boy had caught my eye. He must've been around 8 or 9 years old with bright blonde hair stuffed under a baseball cap. He would fly around the edges of the rink wearing his worn hockey gloves and weaving in and out of people skating too slowly. His strong resemblance to Vaughn reminded me of when we were kids.

"I always think of my dad every time I come to this ice rink." Vaughn suddenly broke the silence.

"Yeah? Why?"

"When I was growing up, this rink would only be open from the beginning of December to the end of January. You know, because it's LA and those are the only two months you can have an outdoor rink." He explained. "So anyways, my dad bought me my first pair of skates when I must've been around 3 or 4 years old and my mom was terrified. I mean, literally terrified. She didn't want me anywhere near the ice. I don't remember much, but I do remember my mom telling my dad that it was too dangerous to put me in the rink."

"That sounds like something your mom would say." I joked.

"I know, right? But my dad didn't listen to her and sort of just threw me on the ice without even showing me what to do. I guess I was a natural because before I knew it, I was flying around the rink."

Vaughn paused for a second and I could tell the memories were playing in his mind as he stared off distantly into the night. I squeezed his hand tightly, encouraging him to finish his story.

"Ever since my father bought me my first hockey skates, every year I couldn't wait until December hit and this rink would be up again. I know all of those indoor rinks were open all year round, but it wasn't the same. Being here brings back so many good memories, Syd. Those were some of the best days of my life. I would skate for hours while my dad would just watch me and smile. I felt so free, you know? I miss those days." He finished wistfully.

Vaughn and I skated around the crowded rink until my ankles could no longer take it. My legs were sore and my feet hurt so bad that Vaughn had to help me limp to the car. The heat emanating from the vents on the dashboard felt soothing on my face, creating a relaxing atmosphere in the car.

"Hey… let's crash at my house tonight." I suggested on our way back.

"What about your dad? I hate sleeping at your house knowing he's directly downstairs waiting to take a bat to my head."

"He left yesterday for Atlanta. He won't be back until tomorrow night."

"Are you sure?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes, I talked to him this morning. Vaughn, it will be fine." I reassured him. "My dad loves you. He's not going to murder you like you think."

"Ok… we have to swing by my house first to pick up some clothes though."

**Vaughn's POV**

After pulling into the driveway, I hopped out of the car and swung over to the passenger's side to let Sydney out. Her feet were too sore to walk so she opted to stay in the car while I ran inside the house real quick.

As soon as I unlocked my front door, two separate piles of boxes greeted me at the entrance, blocking Donovan off from jumping on me. I eyed the boxes curiously, wondering where they came from as I swiftly opened one and peeked inside.

"Mom?" I yelled out. "Are these your boxes of clothes?"

"Michael! You're home!" My mother greeted me. "How was your date with Sydney?"

"It was good. She's in the car though cause she can't walk. Her feet are hurting from ice-skating. I just stopped by to pick up a change of clothes and to tell you that we're going to stay at her house tonight."

"Oh, that's fine."

"Why are there so many boxes over there?" I asked inquisitively.

"They're mine." A familiar voice said behind me.

Turning around, I saw my Aunt Trish carrying another box into the family room and setting it amongst the other ones. This one was labeled 'sweaters' in big red marker on the side.

"Michael, we wanted to surprise you." My mother said excitedly.

"Aunt Trish is moving in? Alright… she makes really good ham and eggs."

"No… what your mother is trying to say is that I'm moving in so you can move back out again." My Aunt explained.

"Your Aunt is moving in with me so you can go back to school, Michael. She's going to help me through my radiation. I don't want you to miss out anymore on your education. Besides, I know how sad you are when Sydney leaves."

I stood there shocked for a moment, not really knowing how to react. I wanted to be around for my mother in her last stages of radiation. It was my job to take care of her.

"Mom, are you sure? I mean, really. I don't mind taking care of you. I want to take care of you." I protested.

"No. You're going back up to San Francisco. I'll be fine. The hard part is over, right? Besides, it'll be nice having your Aunt Trish around again."

"I can't believe it. I get to go back to school." I repeated to myself

Finally being able to react, I threw my arms around my mother's small body and embraced her in a tight hug.

"Thank you so much mom. I love you, you know that?" I said sincerely.

"I know you do sweetheart. Now why don't you go and tell Sydney the news."

Running upstairs, I grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and extra clothes from my closet. I could hardly contain my excitement. Although actually attending school wasn't the most thrilling thing for me, it was being with Sydney and hanging out with Weiss and Francie that made me the happiest.

I could finally go back to my normal life. Not like I thought of taking care of my mom was a chore for me or an inconvenience. But, at times, I felt myself bored at home and frustrated because I wasn't doing much with my life. At least at school I felt that I was furthering my education and helping out my future.

As soon as I jumped back in the car, the big smile on my face didn't go unnoticed by Sydney.

"What are you all happy about?" She asked, running her fingertips lightly through my hair.

"Nothing, I was just playing with Donovan before I ran out here."

I so badly wanted to tell Syd, but wanted to surprise her even more. It was quiet in the car for the next couple of minutes. Obviously Sydney had bought my lie because she didn't question it. Instead, she continued to lightly massage my head and play with my right ear.

"Hey… what classes are you taking next semester?" I questioned, setting her up for the big reveal.

"A few lit classes, humanities, journalism and some history class."

"That's not that bad. You won't be carrying a heavy load. Not nearly as much work as the winter semester."

"Yeah I know. I just want to get it over with." She sighed. "Because after I leave, all I'm going to want to do is come home back to you."

"So that history class, is that the American history class we were supposed to take together this year?"

"I'm sorry Vaughn, but I can't wait for you because I need to fill up my units." Syd apologized.

"No, no. It's fine. Just remind me to add it in when I schedule for my classes this week."

There was a long pause in the car. For a second I thought she didn't get my hint or she didn't hear what I said.

"What?" She finally asked.

"Oh… I just said that I have to register for my classes next week so remind me to add it in."

"What do you mean registering… is it… are you trying to tell me… Omg, Vaughn!" She stuttered, not being able to spit out a coherent sentence.

"I didn't tell you? I guess I forgot. I'm moving back up to San Francisco again."

"VAUGHN!" Syd screamed. "Why didn't you tell me? When did you find out? How did this happen? Are you just joking with me? Because if you are, I'm going to kick your ass for playing with my emotions."

"I just found out 5 minutes ago. I walked into my house and there were all these boxes by the door. When I asked my mom what was going on, she told me that my Aunt Trish is moving in with her to help her through the radiation while I go back to school until the summer." I explained.

"I can't believe it. I won't have to suffer without you anymore." She joked. "So now we're officially moving in together."

"Yes, we're officially moving in together." I repeated, pulling into her driveway and placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"So how about we go celebrate?"

I was awake late the next morning, exhausted from the night before and enjoying the fact that we could sleep in as long as we wanted. The bright lights from the sun came peeking under Syd's curtains, bringing a soft glow into the room.

Syd was once again murmuring something in her sleep as I laid on my back. In most circumstances, I would've complained about having to sleep under pink sheets and a pink blanket, but I had no right to whine since Sydney and I had spent almost every night at my house. It was the first time in weeks that we decided to stay over her place and it was all because the presence of Jack Bristow was missing.

I could feel Syd shifting over next to my body while she threw her arm over my body and nuzzled up against my neck. Her warm breath tickled the side of my face as I kissed the top of her forehead.

"Morning roomie." She grumbled with her eyes still shut.

"Good morning to you too."

"I'm starving, Vaughn. You know what would be really good right now? Blueberry pancakes."

"We can't have blueberry pancakes unless your dad keeps blueberries in the house which I doubt he does." I answered back. "Will cereal work?"

"I guess so."

"Ok, I'll be right back."

After slipping out of Syd's embrace, I searched around the room for my sweats and threw my Kings shirt over my head.

"Have you seen my sweats, Syd?" I asked quietly, rummaging through my bag.

"No. Don't worry about it. You're just coming back up here anyways."

Taking Syd's advice, I quietly left the room and ran down the stairs. To my surprise, Jack had kept quite a variety of cereal in the cupboards. Everything from Cheerio's to Lucky Charms were up on the shelves, making it tough to decide which one Syd would want for breakfast.

Loud footsteps could be heard coming from the family room and I had a feeling Sydney would crawl out of bed sooner or later.

"Hey… I told you I'd get it for you. I'm serving your breakfast in bed." I joked, feeling her presence from the entranceway of the kitchen.

"That won't be necessary." A stern male voice answered back.

Turning around, I nearly dropped the bowl of cocoa puffs that I was holding in my hand. There in the doorway stood Jack Bristow with his arms folded across his chest and an unpleasant look plastered on his face.

I really had no idea what to do next. Do I shake his hand? Offer him cereal? Run back upstairs and throw on some pants that Syd instructed me not to put on. I suddenly regretted listening to her advice while I stood in my green striped boxer shorts in front of a scary looking Jack Bristow.

"Hi Jack. I was just bringing Sydney some breakfast. Umm, you wouldn't want some Cheerio's or something, would you? Because I have an extra bowl here." I said shakily.

"No, I already ate breakfast. I see that you and my daughter were taking advantage of the empty house while I was on my business trip."

"Oh… actually we didn't even know you were gone." I lied.

"Is that so? Tell me Mr. Vaughn, if you knew I'd be home, why are you walking around my house in your boxer shorts?"

Shit. That was the only thing running through my mind at that moment. Jack had caught me in a lie and there was no way I could get out of it.

"That's a good question. But, I should actually get this cereal up to Syd before it gets soggy. You know how bad it is to eat soggy cereal."

I tried my best to walk passed him, putting my head down and tucking the two spoons tightly in my hand. Unfortunately, Jack grabbed my arm just as I was about to head out.

"Michael, don't think I'm that naïve to know that you and Sydney are having pre-martial relations under the roof of my house. And while I know you two are grown adults and can make your own decisions, just know that if you ever impregnate my daughter while you two are still pursuing your education in college, I will make sure you pay the consequences. Understand?" He stated sternly.

"Yes, sir."

"Good, now don't keep Sydney waiting for her breakfast."

Pulling into a full on sprint up the stairs and towards Syd's room, my heart was beating so fast in my chest that I thought I was going to pass out. Out of all the months that I had been dating Syd, he still hadn't given me the talk or lecture yet. I was hoping that somehow he forgot or he just wasn't going to give it to me.

Boy, was I wrong. Before opening to the door to her room I promised myself, never ever to sleep at Syd's house again.

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	42. PART II Chapter 16

_Thanks for all the reviews! I couldn't keep Syd and Vaughn apart for too long. I'm too much of a S/V shipper to do that to them, hehe. Enjoy the chap!_

PART II- Chapter 16.

**Vaughn's POV**

I came bounding down the stairs quickly, taking a glance at my watch and realizing Syd and I needed to be at the airport in less than 30 minutes if we wanted to catch our flight back to San Francisco.

Forgetting to grab my electric shaver from the bathroom, I ran back upstairs, yelling out to my mom and Aunt that I'd be down in a second. I looked at my room one final time, paying specific attention to the dozens of trophies in the corner and my dad's picture sitting on my nightstand, before shutting it tightly.

"Do you have everything, Michael?" My mom asked, holding a couple of tissues in her hand already.

"I think so. If I forget something, I'll just give you guys a call and you can mail it to me."

Donovan came running over a minute later, sensing that I was leaving. After he saw my suitcase on my bed the night before, he knew I was going somewhere. From that moment on, he followed me everywhere I went and looked up at me with sad eyes. He had gotten used to me being home again and got comfortable sleeping on my bed. I felt bad for poor Donny. But, I knew my Aunt Trish would spoil him to death with leftovers.

Opening up my arms, I gave my Aunt a tight hug, thanking her for staying with my mom and taking care of her. My mom was reluctant to say goodbye when I turned to her. We had always been close growing up, but us going through her sickness together made our relationship even stronger.

"Thank you, Michael. Thank you for everything, for taking care of me when you didn't have to. You sacrificed yourself and I'm only here because you were so strong for me. You remember that, ok? When you are in your toughest times, think about what we went through. I couldn't have done it if it weren't for you." She sobbed into my chest.

"No Mom, it was you. I just stood on the sidelines." I joked, kissing her on her forehead. "I can't believe you're going to make me cry again. This is only my third time leaving. I thought you were getting used to this."

"Oh stop." She sighed. "You're my only son. I'll never get used to you leaving."

"Alright, I need to go get Sydney before we miss our flight. You and Aunt Trish don't have too much fun while I'm gone, ok?"

"Don't you worry." They both reassured me in unison.

"Don't forget to give Donovan a hug for me everyday." I instructed. "Alright… I'll call you guys when I get in."

It felt odd pulling into the apartment parking garage again. It seemed so long since I had last been here. The smile on Sydney's face couldn't have gotten any bigger as we hopped out of the car and grabbed our suitcases.

I could see a couple of new neighbors had moved in, noticing the different names on the directory. The walls had been painted a fresh shade of peach while they added new chairs in the lobby making the place look more respectable.

Finally lugging our way up the stairs and to the second floor, I quickly unlocked the door and threw my suitcase on to the floor. I wasted no time flopping onto the leather couch as the cushions immediately gave way to my body.

"Oh my god, I missed this couch. I have the best naps on this couch." I murmured, looking around for a second and taking in the surroundings.

"Weiss? Are you here?" Syd yelled out, receiving no answer after. "He's either with Francie, or getting cussed out by Emily."

"This is a first where we've been alone in this apartment. Weiss is usually always here. Either sleeping…"

"Or eating." Syd finished the sentence, taking a seat next to me and placing her head in my lap.

"As much as I'm happy being back here, I'm really not looking forward to going to classes. Ugh. Syd, do we have to go? Why don't we cut our classes tomorrow?"

"We can't. It's the first day back. Suck it up. We haven't even started yet and you already want to ditch. You're a bad boy."

"Mmm, will you punish me?" I joked, receiving a hard slap in the arm.

Just then, the door swung open and Weiss entered holding two grocery bags full of food. I immediately recognized the potato chips and gummy worms sticking out of the top. It was typical Weiss grocery bags. In one bag would have fruits and vegetables, and in the other a bunch of junk food.

It was almost like Weiss had to cancel out everything he ate. He couldn't have a healthy meal without eating chips or ice cream after. But it was Weiss and by now we realized we couldn't change him. It was part of his unique character.

"And the world is right again." He announces, smirking at Syd and I.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just that you two are back together and I don't have to see Sydney moping around the apartment or you calling me to ask me to watch out for her. You two can finally be happy."

"I'm sorry we were such a chore to you Weiss." Syd shouted while getting up from the couch and swiping the chips out of Weiss' bag.

"Hey… not the barbeque! Those are my favorite. At least take the plain Lays."

I continued to sit back on the couch and watch Weiss and Syd's friendly banter. It was one of the things I missed most about being up here. Just being able to be around Syd, Weiss and Francie were some of the most fun times. I felt like I had missed so much being away for a few months.

Everything seemed to be looking up and for the first time in months, I felt at peace. My mom was beginning to recover, my head was free of worrying about her and worrying about if Syd was ok without me. The thing I was looking forward to the most was finally being able to officially live with Sydney.

I knew we were young and that maybe we were taking things too fast. But, Sydney is all I ever wanted and with my dad dying when I was only 8 and my mother being diagnosed with cancer, it opened up my eyes to the fact that who knows what's going to happen in my life. I didn't want to take the chance.

**Syd's POV**

In celebration of Vaughn's return, Weiss had cooked a delicious dinner consisting of Tacos, rice, and beans. It was no surprise to us that Weiss was an amazing cook being that he loved food. But, it was a surprise to Francie since she believed she was one of the best cooks out there. For awhile they argued at the kitchen counter with Fran telling Weiss that he was cutting the lettuce wrong.

While the kitchen fiasco was taking place, Vaughn and I subtly made our way to the bedroom, laying down brand new sheets and with much regret, stripping off my pink blanket. I no longer had the bed all to myself with a huge amount of space to roll from side to side.

Not that I was complaining or anything. Vaughn happened to be a quite courteous sleeping mate. He never kicked while he slept or mumbled anything in his sleep. Despite Vaughn rolling around a lot during the night or the fact that we happened to always cross each other's side of the bed, he never drooled on my pillow.

"You guys aren't doing anything in there, right?" Francie called through the door.

"No! We were just putting on some fresh sheets." I answered.

"Good because dinner's ready."

We ate in silence for a few minutes while each of us savored Weiss' Tacos. Even Francie admitted that she was enjoying the dinner after several smart comments about Weiss almost cutting his finger off with the chopping knife.

"So Francie, are you still living with Emily, or what? Does she even know what's going on?" Vaughn asked, scooping a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

"When I broke up with her, she just thought it was because I wasn't interested and didn't want to lead her on. But, eventually she found out it was because of Francie." Weiss explained.

"I'm moving my stuff out starting tomorrow afternoon. Emily and I civilly discussed me paying my part of the rent until the end of school or until she finds a new roommate. Knowing her and knowing how pissed she is right now, she's most likely still going to make me pay. Will you guys help me with the boxes tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure Fran." I answered back. "Besides, you might need us before Emily kills you."

"Wow. I would've never guessed two girls would be fighting over Weiss. I didn't even have two girls fighting over me." Vaughn said sarcastically.

"Well, you would've had girls fighting over you if you weren't so into one girl. Man Mike, you could've had any girl you wanted before going out with Syd. You know how many girls asked me about you? I'm talking a few dozens my friend." Weiss shook his head and laughed before gobbling down another taco.

"Does that make you jealous Syd?" Fran joked.

"Nope. Why should I be? I'm the one that ended up with the guy, right?" I took a glance at Vaughn, winked at him, then leaned in for a short kiss.

"Oh god. I forgot we're with you two." Weiss murmured. "Now that you guys officially share a room together, why don't you use it?"

The next morning, the apartment seemed way too small and crowded. The four of us were rushing around the apartment, grabbing our bags, rummaging through the fridge for breakfast and attempting to make it to campus without being late to our first classes.

I was dreading my first class in the morning. I got the worse luck in my English lit class and ended up with one of the hardest professors in the university. I tried desperately to add another class, but all the other lit classes were full and I was unable to drop it for another.

I felt a little upbeat once I entered and saw there were only 25 other students in the class. I always enjoyed classes that were small and more intimate. Professor Roberts didn't look mean or intimidating. Instead, he was a short man in his late 60's, with thick black framed glasses and short gray hair. His blue tie sat perfectly under his crisp black suit while he watched every student that walked into his classroom.

For the next hour and fifteen minutes, he droned on about how we were never to miss class and that late assignments were inexcusable. Professors always gave the line about how they were never scared to fail anybody, and usually I tend to not believe in them, but for Professor Roberts, I knew he wasn't joking around.

The day seemed to be looking up after I exited the English building and realized the sun was slowly beginning to creep through the fog. I was ecstatic about the class I had next. Not because of what I was taking, but because Vaughn was enrolled in the same one.

As soon as I entered the big lecture hall, I immediately spotted Vaughn and smiled. The hall was nearly almost full and I could see Vaughn's backpack in the chair next to his, obviously saving the seat for me. His head was tilted down while he started determined at his cell phone. Tetris, I thought. No one stares at their phone with that much attentiveness.

"This seat taken?" I whispered, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Actually, I'm saving it for my girl-"

"Your girlfriend? I hope she's good to you if you went along and saved her a seat." I joked.

"Oh she's the best."

Bending down, I placed a kiss on his forehead before removing Vaughn's backpack and taking a seat in the most uncomfortable wooden chair ever made. I just knew my back would be hurting by the end of the lecture. I wasn't looking forward to two hours of History, but I knew Vaughn would make it entertaining.

"How was your first class?" I asked him, slipping my hand into his.

"Boring. How was yours?"

"The same." I answered back. "I have a feeling that class is going to give me trouble."

"You'll be fine, Syd. You're brilliant and the smartest person I know."

"Yeah? Well you're the sweetest, and cutest person I know."

"Do you think we're too sappy?" He joked.

"Never."

Just then, our professor began to talk and motioned the class to settle down. Closing his cell phone and putting it back in his pocket, Vaughn leaned over and planted a kiss on my cheek. How we were going to get through this class without completely distracting each other was beyond me.

**Vaughn's POV**

That afternoon, the four of us made our way to Francie's apartment to help her pack up her stuff and move it into ours. I prayed Emily would be out of the apartment so there wouldn't be any tension or trouble. I didn't need to hear any yelling or witness a catfight. At least not between Francie and Emily.

The apartment looked to be empty after we entered it with the kitchen and family room being dead silent. Sydney announced that she was going to the bathroom while Weiss and Francie made their way to Fran's room to bring out the boxes. I opted to sit at the kitchen counter and read the newspaper while Syd was gone.

Suddenly, Emily came walking out of her room with a tired look on her face. I had never seen or met her before, but she was exactly the way that Sydney described her. Spotting me in the kitchen, a surprised look spread over her face before she walked over to me and stuck out her hand.

"I'm Emily. Are you a friend of Francie's?" She asked curiously, taking the seat next to mine.

"Michael. Yeah, I'm helping her move her stuff out."

"Michael? As in Michael Vaughn, Sydney's boyfriend?"

"Yeah, that's me." I responded, interested as to why she sounded so disgusted.

"Ugh, never mind." And with that, she stomped back in my room.

Part of me thought she looked kind of interested at first, being that she looked me up and down causing me to want to bolt out of the apartment. After she heard who I was, she looked at me like I was the devil or something. I hardly ever make judgment without knowing a person, but Syd and Francie had it right. Emily didn't seem like the most pleasant person.

"Well that was rude." Syd said, emerging from the hallway.

"You saw that?"

"The whole thing. She was totally eyeing you up, Vaughn."

"Well, I don't think you have to worry about that anymore. As soon as she heard who I was, she ran away. Besides, she's not that cute." Bringing my hand up to Syd's face, I tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear.

Surprisingly, Weiss did most of the packing and volunteered to carry the boxes down the stairs. Either he was trying to impress Francie and be a good boyfriend, or he finally got out of his lazy streak. I never knew Weiss to do labor for free.

Once we got all of the boxes into our apartment, Weiss and I agreed to go pick up a pizza while Syd and Francie unpacked her stuff. I could tell something was bothering him on the way to the pizza place since he was silent most of the time. Weiss was never silent or at a loss for words.

"You ok, man?" I asked, nudging him in the elbow at a stoplight.

"Francie and I haven't done it yet." He stated flatly.

"Done what?"

Taking a glance sideways, he then looked down at his hands and I knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Oh, that. Well, it's still early in the relationship. You guys have plenty of time. Besides, she's still recovering from Will."

"I don't know… it's just… I don't want to disappoint her." He murmured.

"Disappoint her? C'mon Weiss. It's not like she's going to judge you."

"But I've never… you know… been with a girl before."

"Seriously?" I shouted, surprised as hell.

"Yes! I swear to god Mike if you ever tell anyone I will kick your ass."

"I won't, I promise. Don't worry about it. When the time comes, it will happen. Maybe she's not ready. Are you ready?"

"How do I know if I'm ready? I feel ready."

"When both of you are ready, it will just happen. And you'll both know when the right moment is." I explained, pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant.

"Yeah, you should know. It took you and Sydney forever to do it."

"We were taking our time. Besides, I don't regret it."

"Seems like waiting was worth it." Weiss commented, slapping me on the back.

"It was definitely worth it."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	43. PART II Chapter 17

PART II- Chapter 17.

**Syd's POV**

Flipping through the latest novel I was forced to read for my lit class, I let out a frustrated sigh before slamming it down on the coffee table. A month had passed and all of us had slipped right into the school routine. Work was beginning to pile up, not to mention the midterms and papers due.

I wasn't in the mood to do any work or reading. The weather outside looked foggy and gloomy, making me feel lazy. Usually I had no problem with a heavy workload. School or getting good grades had never been trouble for me. But, it was one of those days where I felt like lying around in my pajamas and watching some old movies.

Picking up my book again, I snuggled deeper into the couch cushions and attempted to read a few pages before Weiss and Francie came home. Usually when they came home, the apartment got a little louder with Weiss talking too loud and Fran laughing at his jokes.

Vaughn came strolling out of our room a minute later, yawning and stretching his arms over his head.

"You have a good nap?" I asked without looking up from my book.

"Uh huh." He answered, flopping down next to me on the couch. "I wish you were taking one with me though."

"Sorry, I have to read 100 pages by tomorrow."

"Mmm, no you don't." He murmured, planting kisses on my neck.

"Vaughn… Vaughn, really. I need to get work done." I choked out.

"You've been reading for the last two hours. You deserve a break."

"Michael…" I murmured, hoping I would get his attention by calling him by his first name.

I had a hard time talking. The feel of Vaughn's lips on my throat was intoxicating and as much as I wanted to push him off, I couldn't resist. Threading my fingers through his hair, I encouraged him on, throwing my book off of the couch.

At first he laughed, knowing I couldn't resist his charm. Before I knew it, his hands had slipped under my sweater causing me to gasp out of surprise. The rough skin on his fingertips slid across my stomach, softly caressing the area above my belly button.

"What time are Francie and Weiss done with class?" Vaughn asked, pausing to look up at my face.

"I think we have enough time." I answered while slipping my hands under his t-shirt.

Tracing every line of his well-defined stomach, I then moved my hands around to his back, feeling the tight muscles relax under my touch. Vaughn continued his assault on my neck and I knew I would have marks the next morning.

Bringing my hands down to Vaughn's belt buckle, I blindly began to undo the loop. It was hard to do without my eyes. With the distraction of Vaughn nipping at my collarbone, I suddenly lost my dexterity. Undoing Vaughn's pants had become a harder task than I imagined while I tugged and pulled at his belt. Finally, I was able to get it loose, throwing it over the top of the couch.

"Syd… maybe… maybe we should go to our room." Vaughn suggested, all of a sudden stopping his actions.

"Why? I don't think Weiss or Francie are coming home anytime soon."

"I know, but just in case. I have a fear of people walking in on us."

Throwing my head back, I let out a long laugh before looking into Vaughn's eyes and seeing that he was dead serious.

"You're not joking?" I asked.

"No. Ever since your dad caught me in my boxers that one morning, I've had this fear in the back of my mind that he's going to walk in on us and hang me."

"Vaughn… my dad is 500 miles away. He's not going to walk in on us." I assured him, running my fingers along his jaw.

"It's not just that. I mean, I always thought of our intimacy as special and something between us. I just don't want Francie and Weiss to come home and find us… you know… on the couch."

I paused for a moment before taking in Vaughn's words. Now there were many times where I had realized I snagged one of the best boyfriends in the world, but this was the one time I was awed by Vaughn's sweetness. The way he described our love life made my heart soar.

Picking up his hand, I brought it to my lips before pushing myself off of the couch and whispering, "Alright, let's go."

When the weekend had finally arrived, all of us were in desperate need of a break. It seemed that everyone was struggling with the schoolwork, including myself. When Friday night rolled around, I really just wanted to stay in with Vaughn and order in some Chinese food. The week had wore me down and I was looking forward to a long nap and cuddling with Vaughn on the couch.

That was the plan until Weiss came up with the genius idea to take a ride down to Pier 39. With much convincing from Fran, we all jumped into the car as I laid my head on Vaughn's shoulder, attempting to get at least a 10-minute nap in.

The wind was biting by the time we reached the pier, causing me to tighten my scarf around my neck while Vaughn threw the hood of his sweatshirt over his head.

"Good one, Weiss. Pick the coldest night in San Francisco to go out." Vaughn said sarcastically, slapping him lightly on the back of the head.

"Oh, quit your whining. You and Sydney need a little spontaneity in your lives. You guys do the same thing every weekend." He answered back.

"We do not!" Vaughn shouted, grabbing my frozen hand.

"Yes you do. It's always dinner and a movie or staying in and doing whatever you two do in that room of yours. You're so predictable."

"At least I'm getting some." Vaughn mumbled under his breath. Fortunately, Weiss didn't hear him.

The four of us walked around Pier 39 slowly, admiring the street performers and looking for a place to eat. I had to admit, being out and exploring the city was one of the best experiences about living in San Francisco. Despite the cold weather, the pier seemed quite busy with all sorts of people eating in the restaurants and riding the carousel.

Watching the dozens of children ride up and down the carousel reminded me of when I was a young child, before my mother had died. My parents would take me to the mall every once in awhile and I would beg them to take me on the carousel. I was too small at the time to ride by myself, so my dad would pick the biggest horse on the outside and sit me on his lap.

Finally, after Francie announcing that she had a craving for seafood, we settled for the Fish and Chips restaurant. While waiting for the waitress to bring us our food, Vaughn had slipped his hand under the table and drew lazy patterns lightly on the palm of my hand. No matter what we were doing, Vaughn and I always had to have physical contact.

"Syd, don't forget on Wednesday afternoon we have that nails and pedicure appointment around the corner from school." Francie reminded me while stuffing a few French fries in her mouth.

"Thanks Fran." I responded while pulling out my phone and putting it into my schedule.

"What's with girls and getting their nails done? I don't see the big deal. You guys dish out like 50 bucks to have someone else paint nail polish on your toes. Can't you do that yourself?" Weiss asked sarcastically.

"No. Putting nail polish on isn't the only thing they do. They file your nails, buffer them, clean up your cuticles and shape them. I can't do that all myself. I'm not that talented." Fran answered back.

While Francie and Weiss continued to argue about pedicures and manicures, I looked through my calendar on my phone, remembering that my first lit paper was due the next week. I groaned looking at the 11th and seeing I only had a week to finish it up.

Suddenly, my eyes opened wide while I peered at the date flashing on the outside of my cell phone. Realizing it was already the 4th of March, I tucked my phone back in my pocket and hoped that no one noticed the worried look on my face.

**Vaughn's POV**

"So what do you guys want to do next?" Weiss asked, pushing his empty plate of food off to the side.

"I'm cool with anything. Syd, what do you want to do?" I questioned as I nudged her with my elbow. I had noticed she had become quiet during dinner while she failed to finish half of her food.

"I don't know. Ask Francie."

"Let's go to the arcade!" Francie yelled out excitedly, clapping her hands like a little kid.

Making sure I laid down enough money for Syd and mine's food, I helped her up from the table and exited the restaurant. Immediately, the freezing wind hit our faces while I wrapped both my arms around Sydney to keep her warm.

By the time we reached the arcade, Weiss' eyes were already lighting up at all the videogames lined up side by side. Loud music blared from the speakers as a few teenagers strolled around, looking at all the possible games they could play.

Immediately, Weiss spotted the air hockey table and practically ran to it, pumping his fists in the air like some sort of maniac.

"I rule at this game. C'mon Mike, let me kick your ass like I always do in Madden… and Halo… and NBA Street." He said confidently, taking out quarters from his pocket and inserting it into the side of the air hockey table.

Turning to Syd, I could see that she was looking off distantly, not paying attention to anything that was going on. I knew something was up with her, I just didn't know what.

"Hey, you ok?" I asked concerned, tugging on her hand to get her attention.

"What… yeah, I'm fine." She responded quietly.

"You sure? You seem quiet."

"Vaughn really… I'm just tired. With the midterms and the reading, I've been so occupied. You know it's been a long week for the both of us, that's all."

"You want to go home? We can hail a cap so you can get into bed." I suggested.

"No! It's fine. I'm fine. Go play with Weiss. Fran and I are going to walk around a bit."

And with that, she linked her arm through Francie's and they strolled slowly towards the other side of the arcade.

In the meantime, Weiss was tapping the table lightly with the air hockey mallet, silently telling me to hurry up already. He looked determined to kick my ass. Not that I was going to let that happen or anything. Weiss never kicked my ass in anything like he thinks he did.

Rolling up the sleeves of my sweatshirt, I nodded towards him to tell him that I was ready. He wasted no time in starting the game, hitting the puck hard towards my goal. I was thankful I always had quick hands, moving quickly to block the puck from going into the goal.

"Does Sydney seem distant to you?" I asked suddenly, hitting the puck back to Weiss.

"I don't know. She seems normal, why? She was ok when we got here."

"Yeah, she was fine up until we were at the restaurant. All of a sudden she got really quiet and now she doesn't want to talk." I explained.

"Maybe she had a bad piece of fish or something. Don't worry about it, Mike. She'll be fine. You know girls, they have mood swings like crazy. One minute, they're happy. The next, they're not."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

The game between Weiss and I soon turned into an all out war as we vowed to give the winner 20 bucks after it was over. Weiss was a little bit better than I thought, sliding the puck expertly into my goal a few times.

Each time Weiss scored, he'd do this stupid little dance and swing his arms around his head screaming some ridiculous song about how he's the best. Seeing him so confident fueled me even more, wanting to actually beat him so he would shut up. I'd never taken losing too lightly in anything I did. It was safe to say I had quite a competitive side to me.

With the score tied at 6-6, I unexpectedly began to feel really hot, pausing to shrug my sweatshirt off of me. Shaking my head a little and loosening up my arms, I yelled to Weiss that I was ready to go.

A small crowd of teenagers began to form a circle around the two of us as we became way too absorbed in our game to notice our two girlfriends standing amongst the crowd. After hitting the puck back and forth, with a few close calls, I slammed the puck into Weiss' goal while the sirens on the top of the table went off signifying my victory.

Loud clapping rang all of our ears as the small crowd clapped for me and slapped me a bunch of high fives. Weiss hung his head in defeat. He really thought he had me there for a second.

"Yeah! That's right! Who's your daddy, Weiss? C'mon… say it… that's right, Michael Vaughn is the man." I yelled, throwing the hockey mallet back on the table and strolling towards Weiss.

"Ok. You win." He said dejected while pulling out his wallet.

"Save it man. Just buy me a couple of beers tomorrow night."

After slapping him lightly on the back, I walked back towards Syd and kissed her forehead. Her cold hands framed my face while she wiped the beads of sweat that had formed during the game. Meanwhile, Francie made sure Weiss was ok and gave him a sympathy hug for his loss.

I gloated all the way home, making sure Weiss heard all of my irritating comments. Usually, I'm a humble winner. I never try to rub it in because I know how it feels to be on the other end of the deal. But, in this case, if our roles were reversed, Weiss wouldn't give it up for a few days.

Syd laughed at my stabs at Weiss, but for the most part she stayed silent in the car. Unhooking her seatbelt and crawling into my lap, she mindlessly played with the strings on my sweatshirt. I had never seen her like this before. Usually I could read Syd's moods easily, but this one I couldn't.

It didn't look like she was sad, or in a bad mood. Looking down at her face it looked like she was in deep thought, narrowing her eyebrows in concern. I didn't want to bring it up in front of Francie and Weiss, so instead I kept my mouth shut and soothingly rubbed her back.

"We're going to go out and get some ice cream real quick." Weiss announced after pulling up the curb of our apartment. "You guys need anything?"

"Yeah… pick up a Mint Chocolate Chip for me and a pint of Coffee for Syd." I answered, not even bothering to ask Sydney what she wanted because I already knew the answer.

"Ugh, I never understood why you like that stuff, Syd." Francie joked.

"Alright, we'll be right back!" Weiss yelled, pulling away quickly.

The two of us walked quietly up the stairs and into the apartment. Immediately, Syd turned on the heater, attempting to warm the place up a little. Francie had accidentally left the living room window open, causing the crisp breeze to flow into the apartment.

Flipping the light on in our room, Syd quickly sat on the bed and began peeling the layers of clothing off of her. She did look tired. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and her eyes looked red and droopy. I could tell she was exhausted and cursed myself for not bringing her home earlier.

"How about I warm you up a cup of tea and you can climb into bed? I know you're tired." I told her, slipping my sweatshirt off over my head.

"Yeah, that sounds great." She responded quietly.

Padding into the kitchen, I warmed up the kettle while searching the cupboards for tea bags. Syd always loved to drink tea at night, saying it helped her relax and put her to sleep. I waited a few minutes for the teakettle to start steaming before pouring a big cup and walking back into our room.

Sydney sat in the same position as I left her, staring down at her hands while sitting on the edge of the bed. Placing the hot cup of tea on the dresser, I kneeled down in front of her to get a good look at her face.

"I know something is bothering you." I stated. "You can tell me, Syd. Anything… remember? You can tell me anything."

"I don't know Vaughn. I don't know if I can tell you this." She whispered.

Fear struck through me for a moment. Sydney had always been open with me and hardly kept secrets. The fact that she didn't want to talk or tell me what was bothering her scared me a little. Whatever it was, I was sure I could fix it.

"Yes you can. Please Syd, you're starting to scare me." I pleaded.

Looking up into my eyes, a single tear dropped down her face. Her lip trembled with nervousness as she took a deep breath before speaking.

"Vaughn… I'm late."

**_hides_**

****

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	44. PART II Chapter 18

_Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry for the cliff, but awww it's fun to do that to you guys and play with your emotions like that, hehe. Enjoy the new chapter!_

PART II- Chapter 18.

**Syd's POV**

"Vaughn… I'm late." I finally managed to choke out, covering my face with my hands.

After what felt like an eternity of silence, I brought my eyes up to meet Vaughn's. By then, his hands were shoved in his pockets nervously while the blood in his face had drained, leaving him looking unnaturally pale.

He leaned against the dresser quietly, staring directly at the opposite wall. I was afraid of how he was going to react. Whether he was going to be angry, upset, or panicked. The last thing I expected was for him to be dead silent.

"But we…" He murmured.

"I know Vaughn." I answered, knowing exactly what he was going to say.

"We were careful… we used protection."

"It's not our fault." I told him as I grabbed his hands and pulled him to sit next to me on the bed.

Fortunately, Vaughn was able to gain some sense of awareness again while he squeezed my hand reassuringly. We sat there again in stillness, the both of us not knowing what to say or who to speak first. I had never imagined this would be happening to us.

"Uhh, how many days late are you?" He asked while shifting his body to face mine.

"4 days."

"How do you feel? Different? Sick?"

"Physically, I feel fine." I sighed. "Emotionally, I've never been so scared in my life. You and I are two of the most responsible people out there."

I couldn't hold back my tears any longer and broke down in Vaughn's arms. Sobs racked my body as Vaughn held on to me tightly, running his hand over my back soothingly. I clung to him like my life depended on it, making sure he knew I couldn't do this on my own.

"So what do you want to do?" He questioned still holding me in his arms. "I could run to a 24 hour store and get you a pregnancy test. We could schedule a doctor's appointment so we know for sure, Syd. It's up to you."

"I… don't know, Vaughn. I can't even think right now."

"Look at me." He stated firmly, cupping my face in his hands. "I'm not going anywhere, ok? We're going to get through this. This could be just a false alarm or something. But… I'm not going to run out on you. If any, this is my fault."

"No! Vaughn, don't blame yourself for this. I was obviously very much there when it happened."

"I know… Sydney, we're going to be ok. We're always ok." He reassured me. "Do you want to know right now?"

"Honestly, no. I'm too emotionally drained right now. I wouldn't be able to take going through the pregnancy test tonight." I murmured.

Nodding his head in agreement, Vaughn wiped away the tears on my face while I attempted to stop crying. I knew being upset wouldn't help the situation. But I was terrified. A million questions began to fill my head. The first thought that popped into my head was that we weren't ready.

I knew I wasn't ready. I was 19 years old, only in my second year of college and I was possibly pregnant. The consideration of a baby growing inside of my body at that very moment should've been one joy and excitement. Instead, it left a pit in my stomach and a knot in my throat. In no way was I prepared to raise a baby.

After the tears had finally stopped, Vaughn released me from his arms as I moved across the bed and slipped under the covers, not bothering to take off my jeans or any other clothing. Vaughn followed me shortly after, slipping off his jeans and t-shirt before climbing over to my side and throwing his arm over my stomach.

"Try not to think about it, ok?" He whispered into my ear.

And as much as I wanted to listen to Vaughn, my mind wouldn't let me. My body felt exhausted, but my mind felt active. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy night.

The next morning when my eyelids fluttered open, I awoke with a splitting headache. The emotion spent on the night before mixed with the lack of sleep had taken a toll on me. I moved over to my right, hoping to snuggle up to Vaughn's body only to feel the side of his bed cold and empty. Instead, a yellow piece of paper was stuck to his pillow.

_Syd-_

_I went to the gym with Weiss. If you need anything, please call me. I'll bring home breakfast for you after I'm done._

_MV_

I took a glance at my alarm clock and realized that it was 10 minutes after 10 o'clock. I knew if I fell back asleep I wouldn't be able to get up for the rest of the day, so I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed and into the kitchen.

Francie was sitting at the kitchen counter, thumbing through the latest food magazine and drinking a cup of warm coffee.

"Morning Syd." She greeted me. "There's a fresh pot of coffee waiting for you."

Just as I was about to run over and pour myself a big cup, I remembered coffee wasn't good for women when they were pregnant. Not that I knew I was pregnant or anything, but I didn't want to take the chance. Instead, I poured myself a cold glass or orange juice that surprisingly tasted refreshing.

"Eric and I were going to take a ride around the city today. There's an Arts and Wine Festival near North Beach if you and Michael want to come. I heard there's lots of people, music and great food. Are you guys in?" Fran asked, taking another sip from her coffee mug.

"Actually, we're probably going to take it easy today. Both of us are drained from this week so you guys go and have some fun."

"Aww, ok. I'm sure Weiss will sneak you guys back some food. If you change your mind, we're not leaving until around 1."

"Thanks. I'll tell Vaughn, but I'm pretty sure he wants to stay in." I responded.

I was reluctant on whether or not to tell Francie about the situation. Not only was she my roommate and best friend, but I knew I could count on her for good advice. It wasn't that I didn't want to tell Fran, I just didn't know if Vaughn wanted anyone else knowing. I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable with Fran knowing I could possibly be pregnant.

Deciding that I was going to tell her anyways, I bit my lip nervously before finally breaking the silence.

"Fran… I have to ask you something. Have you, have you ever been late? You know, as in a few days late with your period?" I asked quietly.

"A couple of times, but that was in high school and I was pretty active so my cycle was out of whack. Why? You're not… are you… wait…"

She didn't finish the sentence. Instead, she squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. The tears sprang to my eyes again as I was unable to keep my emotions in check. It was all too much to take.

"How many days, Syd?" Fran questioned.

"As of this morning, 5. I told Vaughn last night."

"Oh god, how was he?"

"Surprisingly ok." I sighed. "He was more calm about it than me. I must've cried for hours last night not knowing what to do. And Vaughn just held me and told me it was going to be ok. At first he looked a little pale. But, he handled it well."

"You need to take the test, Syd. It's the only way you guys are going to know for sure. Waiting and anticipating is one of the worst things to do because you keep thinking about it. The sooner you get it done, the sooner you know."

"I know." I murmured. "Today. I'll do it today."

"Well, we'll be gone so you guys can have some privacy. I'm so sorry you have to go through this. If I were in your position I would be a complete wreck."

After finishing my orange juice, I decided a nice, hot bath would calm my nerves before Vaughn returned from the gym. I lit a couple of my favorite candles in the bathroom and slipped into the warm water.

My head pounded and my hands quivered. The realization that in 9 months I could possibly be having a baby suddenly hit me while I leaned my head back against the bathtub. I wondered what everyone would think of me if I had a baby.

Mostly, I worried about my father and how he would take it. There's no doubt in my mind that one day he would make a fantastic grandfather, but not now. I feared for Vaughn more than I feared for myself. My father would be sure to hurt Vaughn as much as possible without killing him.

I sighed again in frustration. This couldn't happen to me. This couldn't happen to us. Out of all the people in the world, why us? We were careful. We did everything they said we were supposed to do. And yet, I was the one stuck in this dreadful situation.

Francie was right. There was no way of escaping this. I had to take the pregnancy test today and just get it over with. The feeling of not knowing was nearly killing me. Taking deep breaths to try and relax, I began to calm myself before taking one of the biggest steps in my life.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Dude, Mike you alright? You ran like 2 extra miles on the treadmill and you've been quiet all morning. What's up with you?" Weiss asked while I hopped off the treadmill.

"Nothing man. I don't want to talk about it."

"Maybe you should. You can't hold it all in. Tell me." He insisted.

I did want to tell Weiss because I knew it would make me feel better and talking about it with someone might help, but I also felt like that stuff between Syd and I should be kept quiet. I didn't want to have to deal with Weiss telling Francie and Francie telling Syd she knows. It was better off keeping things a secret.

"I can't." I sighed. "I feel uncomfortable telling you."

"I think I know what it is anyways. I might act dumb sometimes and say stupid things, but I am attentive to what's going on."

"Yeah? So what's going on with me?" I asked curiously.

"Syd thinks she's pregnant." Weiss stated flatly.

"What… how did you…"

"When we walked in last night, I heard Syd crying from your room. Francie and I didn't want to invade or disrupt you guys so we let it go. But then after Fran went to go take a shower, I overheard Syd say she wasn't ready for a baby. Plus, this morning when we were picking up Gatorade from the store you kept staring at the pregnancy tests."

"Oh, so you know."

"What are you guys going to do?"

"I guess what we have to do is find out for real if she's pregnant or not." I murmured. "I'll do whatever Sydney decides she wants. I'm nervous as hell and a complete wreck over this, but I'm going to be there for her whatever happens."

"I know you will. You love her more than anything else so I would never doubt you Mike." Weiss smiled. "And so you know, Fran and I are there for you guys, ok?"

"Thanks Weiss. I appreciate that."

"That's what best friends are for." He joked, lightly punching me in the shoulder.

On the way home I remembered I promised Syd breakfast and ran quickly into the bagel shop knowing that should make her feel better. I felt terrible about leaving early this morning and her waking up to see that I wasn't there. But, I needed to work out and ease my stress. Being cooped up in that apartment was beginning to drive me insane.

I dropped my gym bag on the floor after I entered and called out Syd's name a few times to see where she was. After receiving no answer, I made my way into the room and heard the radio softly playing from the bathroom.

I didn't want to startle her so I knocked on the door. When I walked in, Syd was resting peacefully in a huge bubble bath with scented candles let around the bathroom. Knowing how much I desperately needed a shower and that Sydney was without any clothes on under the bubbles, I had to refrain myself from stripping off my clothes and jumping right in.

"Hey…" I whispered, bringing my hand up to lightly stroke her face.

"Hi, how was your workout?"

"It was ok. I brought you home a bagel. Are you hungry?" I asked.

"Starved. You didn't bring me home coffee did you? Because, I uh, I can't drink that if I'm… you know."

"Oh… no I didn't bring you coffee."

An awkward silence fell over us for a few seconds. While there were hardly any awkward moments between Syd and I in the past, neither of us knew what to say about the situation. Instead, we both waited for each other to speak or change the subject.

"So, I was thinking today…" She finally said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to take a pregnancy test. You know, if that's ok with you."

"Sydney, I said whatever you want to do I'll support you. Besides, I think this is the right thing to do anyways. At least we'll know." I told her, grabbing her wet hand.

"I guess we'll do it after Francie and Weiss leave? They're going to this festival today. They asked me if we wanted to come, but I said we weren't up to it. Unless, you do want to go?"

I shook my head. "No. It's fine. We can stay here and do this thing in private."

Squeezing her hand tightly, I then brought it up to my lips and planted a kiss on her knuckles. She smiled nervously as she looked up into my eyes. Her big dimples peeked out from her cheeks while I kept her hand in mine.

When Syd finally exited the bathroom, I quickly jumped into the shower. The steaming hot water eased the tension out of my sore muscles. At the time, my legs showed no signs of tiredness after running those 7 miles on the treadmill. But the pain quickly hit my legs and shoulders as soon as I entered the apartment.

Francie and Weiss left after lunchtime leaving Syd and I to go to the store to pick up the test. When we got there, it was overwhelming at first. They had 3 or 4 shelves full of pregnancy test and neither of us knew exactly what we were looking for.

I didn't want to look like an idiot and ask one of the workers either. I somehow felt odd going up to the pharmacy counter and saying, 'Hi. I think I may have got my girlfriend pregnant at the age of 20. Can you help us pick out the right pregnancy test?' No way. I wasn't ready to embarrass myself like that.

After looking through all the shelves, Syd finally picked one that looked easy to use. She looked tentative at first to buy it, but I reassured her by telling her everything was going to be ok. I was beginning to feel somewhat like a broken record.

I was scared out of my mind after we got home and Syd quickly went to the bathroom to do her business. I sat nervously on the couch, nipping away at my already destroyed fingernails. I had told Sydney more than a hundred times that everything was going to work out. I managed to ease her stress, but failed to reassure myself.

A million thoughts started running through my head. The biggest thought was that Syd could possibly be carrying my child at that very moment. I always pictured myself having kids one day. I always thought of myself as becoming a family man. But, I never thought I might be having a kid during my second year of college.

We sat in silence for a few minutes watching this stupid white stick thinking it could change our lives forever. It was somewhat surreal knowing that this stick had the complete power over us and what was about to come.

Finally, after waiting the full ten minutes, Syd bent down to take a look at the results. Before she could see, I grabbed her elbow.

"Wait." I stopped her.

"What, Vaughn? This could be huge."

"Whatever the results turn out to be. If you're pregnant or not, I want you to know that I love you and I'm going to be here for you through whatever happens."

"Oh Vaughn!" She sobbed, unable to hold back her emotions once again.

I pulled her into a quick hug before kissing her on her forehead and releasing her from my arms. My heart pounded in my chest and my palms were becoming ridiculously sweaty. The anticipation was going to kill me before anything else.

Bending down to take a closer look at the stick, I studied it before letting out a huge sigh of relief.

"I'm not pregnant." Syd sighed. Throwing herself back against the couch.

A big feeling of relief spread over me. All of my fears that were popping up into my head were now all gone. My heart still pounded loudly in my ears, but it was slowly going back to normal speed. Wiping my sweaty palms against my pants, I closed my eyes for a second to relax.

"Well, that had to be the biggest scare of our lives." I joked. "So how does this explain why you're late?"

"I have no idea. I guess it could be stress." She murmured.

Looking over to see Syd's face, I saw that tears were now streaming down her face. I knew it had to be one heck of an emotional roller coaster for her, but I didn't know if it were tears of happiness or tears of sadness.

"You ok?" I asked while I rubbed my hand up her bare arm."

"Yeah… I just… I don't know." She whispered. "It's almost too much to take. I've actually been preparing myself for the thought of being pregnant since I found out I was late yesterday. Now knowing I'm not is a relief, but it also makes me sad, you know? Cause even though I was scared, I knew we would've been ok."

"One day Syd…" I smiled. "One step at a time."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	45. PART II Chapter 19

_I'm in a generous mood tonight, hehe. So here's another update! Oh the fluffiness. And just as an announcement... there's only 3 more chapters after this one. :( This fic is finally coming to an end and that saddens me like nothing else. So I'm just giving you guys a heads up. :) Enjoy the chapter!_

PART II- Chapter 19.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Ok Vaughn… cups, plates, plastic utensils are in the section on your right." Weiss instructed me.

Looking at my long list of items, I felt almost overwhelmed with all the stuff I needed to buy. I was planning to throw Syd's surprise birthday party for weeks, but failed to get any work done on it until the day before. Francie and I made a deal that she would take care of the guest list and invitations while I had to buy all the supplies and food.

It was Syd's 20th birthday and I wanted to make it special since she was officially not a teenager anymore. I knew she didn't want anything big, but she deserved this. Her schoolwork had been tying her down practically the whole semester and she needed a little break.

"Why don't we just buy Syd one of those big huge cakes and when she walks in the door, everyone can shout 'surprise' while you jump out of the cake?" Weiss suggested, grabbing a stack of paper plates from the shelf.

"Why the hell would I want to do that?" I responded.

"I don't know. C'mon Mike, it would be fun. Jessica did that for Nick on Newlyweds."

"I can't believe you watch that crap. I swear Weiss, it makes you even dumber."

We strolled slowly up and down all of the aisles picking out everything we would need for the party. As much as I hated grocery shopping, it was going by quicker than I thought. Weiss failed to find the vegetable platter and instead tried to replace it with four bags of chips.

"So you must've been scared out of your mind last week." He stated flatly while placing the beer into the cart.

"With what? Syd thinking she was pregnant?"

"Yeah. If that were me, I would've been flipping out."

"I know." I sighed. "But she was already upset. Me freaking out would've made the situation worse. Besides, we took full precautionary."

"Thanks Mike. That's good to know." He responded sarcastically.

"By the way, how are your intimacy issues going? You and Francie take the big step yet?"

"I don't even want to talk about that." Weiss murmured. "I'm about to drive myself insane. How do you… what do you say…"

"To initiate things?"

"Yes, to initiate things. What did you do for Sydney?" He asked curiously.

"I took her out to a fancy, romantic restaurant to set the mood. Of course, we talked about it before though. That night would've been perfect if that stupid Danny didn't show up and ruin everything."

I still hadn't gotten over Danny showing up that night and ruining Syd and mine's one-month anniversary dinner. I wanted everything to go absolutely perfect and it all turned to crap once he decided to come out of nowhere.

"Oh, that's right! That was the night. We should've totally beaten the s out of that guy." Weiss said.

"Seriously. If I ever see that guy again it's not going to be pretty. He's already responsible for making my life miserable those two years in high school watching him and Syd. Every time I saw them together it made me want to throw up."

"I'm sorry to interrupt what seems to be your pleasant high school memories, but what do I do for Francie?" He questioned as we pushed the cart out of the grocery store.

"Cook her dinner at the apartment. Light some candles, play some music, girls love that kinda stuff."

"You think it'll work?"

"Of course it will. Have I ever failed you before Weiss?" I joked.

"Too many times to count. But, I'll trust you on this one."

The next morning I was nervous out of my mind. I was constantly paranoid that Syd was going to find out about her surprise birthday party. The day before, I practically ran to the answering machine to erase the bakery's message, reminding me to pick up the cake the next day.

I woke up at 7am wanting to buy her flowers before she woke up. I propped myself up on one elbow for a while, just admiring how beautiful she was when she slept. Even after all the years I had known her, she still took my breath away.

Slipping out of the bed quietly, I took a quick shower and made my way down to the flower shop down the street. The sun was just about to peek through the clouds during the cold San Francisco morning, but I had gotten used to the fair weather. It was a nice change from LA where everyday seemed to be blistering hot.

Deciding on a bouquet of flowers was particularly hard because of all the choices. I knew how much Syd loved daises, but opted to go with the red roses instead, knowing how much more romantic they were. Daises were friendly, but roses represented love.

Tying a single shiny birthday balloon to the bouquet, I placed it on her bedside before planting tiny kisses all over her face. At first, she didn't budge being that she was in deep sleep. But, after some time, a tiny smile escaped from her lips as she began to open her eyes.

"Hey…" I whispered. "How's the birthday girl doing this morning?"

"Mmm, good after waking up like that." She yawned.

"So I got you something already." I told her, handing her the long stem roses and the balloon.

"Oh Vaughn, they're beautiful!" She gasped. "You spoil me, you know."

"I can't help it. I love my girlfriend."

Pulling down on my neck, she placed the flowers in her lap before giving me a slow, lazy kiss on my mouth. I had to refrain from trying to move my body any closer to hers since the roses were there and I didn't want to crush them. After spending $65 bucks on a dozen of roses, I was hoping they would last forever.

"So how about you and me just do something quiet for my birthday tonight?" She asked while playing with the hairs on the back of my neck.

"Yeah, like what?"

"I don't know. We could have dinner by the beach. Maybe set up some candles and music, watch the stars on a blanket. I just want to be with you tonight." She sighed.

I silently cursed myself for not thinking of a night picnic on the beach before the surprise birthday party. If that's what Syd wanted, I was almost willing to call off the big party. But, knowing how much effort Francie, Weiss and I put into it I decided that Syd wouldn't be disappointed.

"Well, after Francie takes you out shopping and you get back, we can decide what you want to do, ok?"

"That sounds good, Vaughn." She smiled, placing another kiss on my lips.

"So how about you stay here and rest and I'll make you breakfast in bed?"

"Pancakes? Hash browns? Eggs?" She said excitedly.

"If that's what you want." I answered. "Go back to sleep. I'll bring in the food when I'm done."

Placing a final kiss on her forehead, I grabbed her roses to put in a vase and made my way into the kitchen. Weiss was sitting on the kitchen counter when I entered, drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper.

A sarcastic smile appeared on his face after he saw the flowers in my hand. I could see him shaking his head at me, knowing how much I looked like a sap at the moment. But I didn't care. It was only Weiss and god knows I hardly cared what he thought of me.

Making breakfast for Syd meant also making breakfast for Weiss since everything that came out of the pan seemed to miraculously disappear after I turned around for one second. He rolled his eyes after I slapped him on the back, telling him that food was for Syd. Apparently Weiss thought it was rude to cook only for my girlfriend and not for my best friend.

Finally, after half a dozen of my special chocolate chip pancakes were gone, I managed to cook a whole other batch, keeping them away from Weiss and his greedy mouth. I politely left a few out for Francie on the counter, knowing she would wake up soon and want some breakfast.

Syd was sound asleep when I entered the room again. As soon as she heard the plate softly clatter against the nightstand, she awoke again. Stretching her arms above her head, she immediately grabbed for the fork and plate.

"Vaughn, this looks delicious! Except… you took kind of long." She joked, taking a bite from her hash browns.

"Blame that on Weiss. He ate your first batch of pancakes."

"That guy… he has a bottomless stomach."

"You're telling me." I murmured. "I couldn't make the pancakes fast enough."

"So this is turning out to be an incredible birthday already, first with the roses and the breakfast in bed. What else do you have planned for me Mr. Vaughn?" She smiled while softly kissing my lips.

"You'll just have to wait and see. Did your dad call yet?"

"No. He will soon though. He never forgets my birthday. Even though he wasn't around much when I was a kid, he made sure my nanny gave me all of my presents from him."

"You mean he didn't even take a day off from work to spend your birthday with you? Syd, that's sad." I commented, thinking about how fortunate I was that I had an amazing relationship with my mother.

"I didn't think much about it at the time. But when I got older, it just felt so impersonal, you know? Someone else always gave me my presents, presents I didn't even need. All I really wanted was for him to be there. I didn't need anything else." She sighed.

"I'm sorry Syd."

"Don't be. That's done and over with though. My dad and I are on a fresh new start."

**Syd's POV**

Francie nearly dragged me out of the apartment at around 4:30, literally bouncing off the walls because we were going shopping. Fran had the car radio on so loud that I missed a call on my cell phone. Scrolling down my missed calls list, I saw that my dad had finally left a message.

I smiled hearing his voice, knowing I hadn't spoke to him in a few weeks. He was on a business trip to Seattle for the past week and a half and we both managed to play phone tag, always missing each other's calls.

"Hi Sydney. I was just calling to wish you a Happy Birthday. I tried your apartment phone and Michael said you were out with Francie. I guess you must be busy since you're not picking up. I trust you're having a good day, sweetheart. Be careful and I'll talk to you soon."

Fran pulled me around to every store possible, trying on every skirt and asking my opinion on all of them. I was beginning to feel tired after spending time in the mall for over two hours. My feet hurt and I was eager to spend time with Vaughn.

I had to say, it was nice being able to spend time with Francie and have our usual girl talk without the boys around. Very rarely did we spend time away from our boyfriends since they always seemed to tag along wherever we went.

Finally, Fran finished up her shopping and carried, what seemed to be, five of her shopping bags out of the crowded mall.

"So Vaughn and I are probably just going to spend a quiet night together, maybe going out to dinner. You and Weiss are going to come with us, right?" I asked as Francie sped home.

"I'll ask Weiss. Maybe you and Vaughn should be alone though. It is your birthday and you two deserve some time alone."

"Aww, but you and Weiss are two of my best friends. I'd love to spend my birthday with you guys. Please? It'll be fun. I can't picture my birthday dinner without you two."

"If you say so." She laughed quietly.

I lugged up the apartment stairs slowly, a little worn out from shopping and looking forward to lying down on the couch for a while. Jiggling my keys slightly, Francie stood closely behind me as I unlocked the door and swung it open.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone yelled, stunning me so much that I nearly fell backwards out the door.

The apartment was filled with people, half I didn't really know, and the other half I recognized from my classes and people Francie hung out with occasionally. I spotted Vaughn in the back, smiling from ear to ear while Weiss and Francie began fiddling with the stereo.

I took my time saying hello to everyone and thanking them for coming before running over to Vaughn and throwing my arms around his neck. I knew he had been acting a little different for the past week, but I had no idea he was throwing me a surprise birthday party. I should've seen the signs when he was being evasive about my birthday plans.

Nonetheless, I couldn't have been more thrilled to see our apartment packed with people. Platters of food lined the kitchen table and counter while the coffee table was filled with all sorts of different alcohol. By that time, Weiss had gotten the stereo working as it blasted through the room.

"So this is what you've been up to lately." I told Vaughn, playfully slapping his chest.

"Yeah… but Weiss and Francie helped a lot. Francie did the guest list if you couldn't tell. I don't even know some of these people." He laughed.

"Neither do I."

"Excuse me… sorry to interrupt your little cuddling session, but how about a shot with the birthday girl? C'mon Syd. One for your birthday." Weiss interrupted us, holding a bottle of rum and four shot glasses.

"Ok, but not too much." I warned.

Weiss lined up the four glasses side by side and proceeded to fill each glass to the rim. I wasn't really in the mood to drink, but I figured since it was my birthday, it was appropriate timing. The four of us, Vaughn, Weiss, Francie and I raised our glasses together before throwing back the bitter alcohol.

Grabbing Vaughn's hand, I led him out towards the group of people dancing, not wanting to waste any time. I swung my arms over my head, feeling so free for the first time in weeks without having any schoolwork tying me down.

I moved my body to the rhythm of the music, placing my hands around Vaughn's neck to pull him closer. A big smile spread across my face as Vaughn put his hands on my waist and began planting light kisses all over my neck.

Soon Weiss and Francie joined us on the dance floor. It was no hysterical to see Weiss attempting to dance while flailing his arms in the air and always being off with the music. On the other hand, Francie was a fantastic dancer making Weiss look even worse.

The rest of the night just seemed to get better and better as the hours went by. We ended up dancing most of the time, only taking a break so I could blow out my candles on the delicious looking cake that Vaughn knew I loved so much.

"Ok everyone! I have an announcement to make!" Vaughn suddenly yelled out as Weiss turned down the music. "Being that I don't know half of you people… thanks to Francie over there." Vaughn pointed. "I'm Michael and I'd like to take this moment to make a toast to my girlfriend."

Just like me, Vaughn was slightly drunk already. He slowly wobbled to the center of the room before speaking again. Holding his bottle of beer in the air, he turned and smiled at me.

"First off, I'd just like to wish you a Happy Birthday Syd. This party took a lot of planning and work, but seeing your smile when you walked in made everything worth it. Second, I'd like to thank all of you who have come tonight to celebrate with us. I couldn't have done this without Eric or Francie. So everyone please raise your glass, to Sydney! May your 20th be one of the best years to come"

Pausing to grab my hand, Vaughn pulled me forward so I was standing next to him. He took another swig of his beer after placing a sweet kiss on my lips. My head felt light as I looked around the room and received jealous glares from some of the girls I didn't recognize.

It was past 1am after everyone finally left. Weiss was sprawled out on the couch while Francie, Vaughn and I walked slowly around the room picking up all of the empty beer bottles and plates. It was to no one's surprise that Weiss wasn't helping any of the cleanup.

"Ok… so Mike? When my birthday comes around, you're going to throw me a party even bigger than Syd's right?" He joked, finishing off his last bottle of beer.

"Ummm, no!" Vaughn snapped back.

"Aww, I thought you loved me?"

"In a very non-gay, brother, best friend, roommate kind of way. But not enough to throw you a party like this one."

"I see how it is, Mike." Weiss sighed. "Always picking the girl over me. It's fine. I'm going to remember this the next time you need something from me."

Vaughn was half awake when I entered the bedroom flipping mindlessly through the channels on the small TV screen. By that time, he had changed out of his jeans into his usual shorts and t-shirt. I took a seat near the edge of his bed, bending down to plant a kiss on his forehead.

"You know you're the sweetest guy ever?" I quietly asked Vaughn, laying my head down on his chest.

"I try to be. At least that's what my other girlfriends say." He joked before receiving a playful slap.

"I'm being serious Vaughn. I don't deserve you. Do you know how much I love you?"

"Of course I do… because I love you even more."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	46. PART II Chapter 20

_Hi guys, here's the next chapter! Oh the last 3 chapters excite me like nothing else, hehe. Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews again! Only two more chapters after this..._

PART II- Chapter 20.

**Syd's POV**

"Vaughn… I swear if you shake the ladder one more time, I'm going to get down from here and kick your ass." I threatened.

"Is that a threat?" He mocked.

"Oh you better believe it is."

"Good because I'm looking forward to it. I get kind of turned on when you kick my ass a little bit."

Shoving the small roller covered in paint towards Vaughn's face, I quickly ran it across his cheek causing him to gasp in surprise.

"Hey! You're supposed to be painting the wall! Not me!" He yelled.

"Stop shaking the ladder and I won't put paint on your anymore." I shouted back.

Small splatters of paint lined my jeans as I carefully turned back to the wall and continued applying the first coat of paint. Vaughn and I had decided weeks before that our room needed a complete makeover.

The boring white walls needed to a little spicing up and we mutually agreed that a new paint job would help. After moving out all our furniture to the family room and covering all of our clothes, we were ready to get started.

Deciding on a color was the difficult task for us. Of course Vaughn pushed for the masculine colors, trying to convince me that gray or dark blue would look good. I, on the other hand, wanted more of a lighter color. I wanted to walk into our room and feel happy and relaxed.

We finally agreed on a peach color paint, a color 'not too girly' in Vaughn's words and one that wouldn't put me in a depressed mood. It took much convincing on Vaughn's part for him to agree on the color, but after telling him peach was only a lighter shade of orange and that orange was his favorite color, it worked out well.

I carefully slid the roller up along the ceiling, concentrating on not falling off the ladder. Even though Vaughn convinced me that he wouldn't let me fall, once in awhile he would shake the ladder causing me to wobble a bit. It was something I didn't find all too amusing.

"So Syd…" Vaughn said, breaking me from my thoughts. "I was doing some thinking and… remember I told you my mom finished up her last radiation session about 3 weeks ago?"

"Of course." I responded.

"Well, I was hoping next weekend we could fly down to LA to see her. I know the last couple of weeks have been crazy, but next weekend looks free for us. Do you want to go?"

"Really?" I asked excitedly. "I'd love to see your mom! Plus, we can go visit my dad too. You think we can get a flight by next weekend?"

"Sure we can. It's just, I'm really proud of her and I need to see her. They ran some tests on her to see if they got all the cancer cells. She should be finding out soon whether or not she's going into remission." He explained.

"Ok, next weekend it is. It sounds perfect."

The paint fumes were beginning to give me a headache as I climbed down the ladder and examined my work. We still had a long ways to go with only a quarter of the room painted, but so far the job looked well done.

I gulped down long sips of cold water from my water bottle, laying it against my forehead to try and cool myself off. While Vaughn walked to the other side of the room to open the window, I took a seat against the unpainted wall, wiping the sweat from my forehead. I never knew painting could be such hard work.

"Ugh, it's getting hot in here." Vaughn complained, whipping his t-shirt off of his body.

I gaped at him for a few seconds, admiring his flawless body and gushing over how amazing he looked standing in his cargo shorts. The waistband of his blue boxers peeked up from the top of his shorts that laid low on his hips.

With the sun now shining directly into the room, I could see the beads of sweat slowly dripping down his forehead and onto his chest making me want to get up and drag him into the bathroom for an afternoon shower.

"Looking good there Mr. Vaughn." I playfully told him.

"Why thank you. I've been working on this." He smiled, lightly patting his stomach.

"I think I'm going to need further examination."

Pushing myself off of the ground, I threw my arms around Vaughn's waist, caressing the strong muscles of his lower back. With one hand on my hip and the other on my neck, he threaded his fingers through my hair, lightly massaging my head with his fingertips.

Weiss interrupted us a moment later, carrying a stack of takeout menu's in his hand.

"Hey guys… Fran and I are going to order lunch. You want anything?" He asked without looking up from one of the menu's.

"Yeah, where are you guys ordering from?" Vaughn questioned, still keeping me in his arms.

"Toto's. Here take a look." Weiss handed Vaughn the menu, shaking his head after looking at us. "Dude… Mike, go put a shirt on. I can't even look at you. Don't stand next to me cause you're making me look bad."

"What? I like it." I sarcastically answered back.

"Man, you two. You're always so cuddly." He acted disgusted. "Syd, you still like to hug Vaughn even though he's all sweaty and smelly from painting?" He joked.

"Shut up Weiss. I don't smell as nearly bad as you do when you sweat." Vaughn retorted. "Just order the usual pizza we get."

"Ok, I'll tell Francie." Weiss said, walking out of the room.

We finished painting the room after 2 days, still having to sleep out in the family room so the paint could dry and the paint fumes could air out from the room. The color of the walls brightened up the room, but also gave it a real homey kind of feel.

On Sunday morning, Vaughn had found us two cheap plane tickets to LA for Friday night, having us departing from the San Francisco airport around 6:30. I could tell Vaughn was excited since he talked non-stop about seeing his mother and of course Donovan.

I found it adorable the way he treated his beloved bulldog, keeping a picture of him on our dresser and calling his Aunt every week to make sure Donny was getting the proper food fed to him. He always feared coming home to a fat dog.

It amazed me how everyday Vaughn and I would grow even closer, making me love him even more as our relationship went on. Our relationship was coming up on our one-year anniversary, but the butterflies in my stomach every time he walks into a room, or the tingly feeling I get when he kisses me still hadn't subsided.

It was almost scary to think about how dependent on him I had become. When I'm not with Vaughn, I feel the need to always think about what he's doing or how many hours it's going to be until I see him.

I always prided myself in the fact that I was an independent person. Mostly, because I was forced to grow up fast, having to take care of myself because my father wasn't around for me when I was a child. But with Vaughn, I needed him.

Weiss poked fun at us on Wednesday morning, slamming the front door loud enough to wake Vaughn and I both up from our peaceful slumber. I was more than eager to move back into our room since the couch bed was not only small, but also ridiculously hard giving me a sore back.

"Morning sleepyheads! Time to wake up for class!" Weiss cheered loudly, shuffling around in the kitchen.

"Ugh, it's way too early and bright." Vaughn groaned.

"When are you guys moving back into your own room? I keep thinking I'm going to walk in here and you two will be going at it and I'll be scarred for the rest of my life."

"Just give us a couple of more days for the paint fumes to die off. Then we'll be out of your way Eric." I mumbled. "Besides, we're going home this weekend so you won't have to see us."

"Really? Fran and I have the apartment to ourselves?" Weiss asked excitedly.

"Yes." Vaughn sighed. "What are you so excited about? You guys don't even do anything."

"Ouch Mike, that's a low blow. Actually, I was going to ask you guys if you could take a night out tonight. I'm cooking Francie dinner, you know, to hopefully get her in the mood."

"Wait, you and Francie haven't… you guys are still…" I choked out, not really believing that Francie and Weiss hadn't slept together yet.

"No." Weiss answered quietly, hanging his head to the floor.

Just then, Vaughn took that moment to throw back the covers and get out of bed, slipping out in only his boxers. He tiredly rubbed his eyes while searching for his shirt that he carelessly flung on the floor the previous night.

"Ahh! I don't want to see that!" Weiss yelled, shielding his eyes from Vaughn.

"What? I have my boxers on!" Vaughn answered back.

"Still… I don't want to see you like that."

"So Weiss, is that why you got up early to shop for all of those groceries? What are you making her?" I asked eagerly, wanting to know tonight's plans.

"My special homemade crab ravioli's, French bread, and a little spinach salad." He answered proudly. "Sorry to kick you guys out tonight, but you're ok with it, right?"

"Yeah, sure. Vaughn and I will just catch a movie or something. Good luck tonight Weiss!"

**Vaughn's POV**

I was a little apprehensive on leaving the apartment that night so Weiss and Francie could have a romantic evening in. I had a big midterm coming up the next week and since Syd and I were going away from the weekend, I desperately needed to prepare and study. I doubted the fact that I would get any sort of studying done over the weekend in LA.

But, knowing how long Weiss had been waiting and him being my best friend and all, I understood the situation and agreed to take Syd out so they could have some alone time. I was happy for Weiss. Knowing how much he liked Francie and how happy she made him, I was glad the two finally decided to get together.

When 6 o'clock rolled around, Syd and I both wished Weiss good luck and made our way out of the apartment. He was nearly flipping out by that time, waiting for Francie to arrive home and him desperately trying to prepare the food before she got there. He was running around that kitchen like a complete madman.

"So are you ready for our big date?" I asked Syd, gripping tightly to the steering wheel.

"Of course. So where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise." I joked smiling.

"Aww, c'mon Vaughn. You know how I don't like surprises and how impatient I get. Just tell me already."

"Wait 5 more minutes and you'll see where we're going."

The rest of the car ride was silent, except for the radio quietly playing as Syd keenly looked out the window, attempting to recognize the street signs and where we could possibly be going. I smiled to myself know she was going to love this.

Swiftly pulling into the parking space, Syd's eyes lit up once she saw the big, bright sign in the front.

"Bowling! We're going bowling? Vaughn, I'm so going to kick your ass." She stated as she hopped out of the car and pulled me inside.

"Oh, I don't think so Bristow. Lefties are naturally good at bowling. And besides, girls can't beat guys in sports."

I knew that would get her going, knowing how competitive she could be and how she hated the fact that guys always thought they were stronger than girls.

"Oh, we'll see about that, Vaughn." She retorted, squeezing my hand while we approached the counter.

Picking up our shoes and our bowling bowls, we made our way to the #11 lane after surveying our surroundings. The place was crowded with people packing nearly all of the lanes, cheering and shouting loudly at each other. Fluorescent and neon lights flashed everywhere as the alley was dimly lit with glow in the dark pins and bowling balls.

"So you want to make a friendly bet Syd?" I asked while tying up my bowling shoes.

"Sure, what's the stakes?"

"Best of 3 games, winner gets a strip show from the loser."

"Vaughn!" She yelled, slapping me on the arm.

"What? That's fair."

"No it's not!" She argued. "You know you're most likely better at me than bowling. I'm not agreeing to that bet."

"Ok fine… winner gets… a backrub in bed?" I suggested.

"Alright, that's fair."

The first game went by quickly. I purposely let Sydney win, hoping it would give her some confidence so I can later beat her. I loved Syd and all, but when it came to bets, I never wanted to lose. It was hard for me to accidentally throw the ball in the gutter, but I did badly enough for her to win. I watched her triumphantly stroll around the lane thinking she had got me. But it was all a part of my master plan.

I had no mercy the second game, knocking down every pin possible and ending with three strikes in a row. Syd gaped at me surprised, not knowing how seriously I was going to take this. I sure as hell was looking forward to my back rub in bed.

As soon as the third game came around, I was already thinking about my massage and how good it would feel to have Syd's hands all over my back. The damn pullout bed in the family room was doing nothing but harm to my neck and back.

Syd started off slow in the last game, only knocking down six pins each in the first three frames. I smiled mischievously to myself, knowing this was going to be a piece of cake. I thought about throwing the game at first, possibly letting her win. But I shook my head of the thoughts knowing I couldn't let my girlfriend beat me in anything.

Unexpectedly, Syd went on fire, throwing strike after strike and cheering loudly with her arms in the air. I suddenly didn't know what hit me as I watched her score inch past mine, beating me in the last two frames. I hung my head in defeat while she celebrated in front of me.

"Hmmm, hey Vaughn? Can you read me those two scores up there? I can't really see it. What does mine say? 204? And yours? 196. Yeah, I think that's right." She told me, throwing her arms around my neck.

"Ok, ok. You won." I sighed.

Twirling around near our lane, I watched her dance around to the loud music, still celebrating her victory over me. I swiftly began to feel better about my loss as I admired the big dimpled smile spread across her face.

She was beautiful, making my chest swell up and my heart begin to beat faster. The love I had for her at that moment was indescribable. Seeing the happiness within her made me happy and I suddenly knew what I wanted to do.

"You would've let me win anyways, huh?" Syd asked on the way home.

"Maybe… anything to see you smile."

Running her hands slowly through my hair, she leaned over and began placing kisses along the side of my face and then down my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. I had to concentrate extra hard on the road. The feelings she was stirring up inside of me were beginning to blind my senses.

"You keep doing that and you're going to make us crash." I warned, keeping both hands on the steering wheel.

"I can't help it Vaughn."

"Yeah? Just wait another 5 minutes and you can continue on."

The next afternoon, I rushed home from my last class, throwing my backpack in my room and searching for Weiss. I knew Syd wasn't due home for another two hours meaning I had enough time to pull off what I was about to do.

"Weiss? Where are you?" I yelled loudly as I jingled my car keys in my hand.

Weiss exited his room exhausted, wearing his usual sweatpants while rubbing a hand over his face and unruly hair.

"Long night?"

"Yes, Mike. It was a long night." He smirked.

"Mission successful I assume?"

"You can say that." He sighed.

"Good. Grab your jacket cause you're coming with me."

Without any protest, Weiss grabbed his jacket and followed me out to the car. We laughed and talked about the pervious night with him giving me all of the details I wanted to know. I was sure Fran was giving Syd all of the facts on the other side.

It wasn't until we pulled into the parking space that Weiss questioned what we were doing.

"San Francisco Jewelry shop? What the hell are we doing here?" He asked while hopping out of the car.

"You're going to help me buy an engagement ring."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated:)**


	47. PART II Chapter 21

_Thanks for all the reviews last chapter! Sorry for the evil cliff, but aww that was fun, hehe. Enjoy the chapter. Only one more after this one:(_

PART II- Chapter 21.

**Vaughn's POV**

"I'm helping you pick out a what?" Weiss screamed as we both exited the car.

"An engagement ring." I stated flatly.

"You're proposing to Sydney?"

"No… I'm proposing to your mom!" I laughed. "Of course I'm proposing to Sydney."

Weiss scratched his head in confusion while we stood outside the jewelry store. A million thoughts were probably running through his head including the one where he thinks I've literally gone insane. But I was prepared for this. I knew he would react this way.

Grabbing my shoulders, he looked me straight in the face. "Mike…"

"Yes?"

"You're 20."

"Yeah…"

"You have at least 2 years left of college." Weiss acknowledged.

"Your point being?"

"Have you gone completely nuts?" He shouted. "Why in the world do you want to get married this young? I mean, I know you and Sydney are in love and everything, but you have all the time in the world!"

"And how do you know that?" I questioned, suddenly turning serious.

"What?"

"How do you know we have all the time in the world?" Running a hand through my disheveled hair, I began to explain to Weiss why I was doing this. "Listen Weiss, I love Sydney. I love her more than anything else in the world. Sydney and I… we both lost our parents when we were children. It was the hardest thing we've ever had to cope with growing up, but it made us appreciate what time we have with the people we love. With my mom being diagnosed with cancer this year, it's only made me realize even more that we don't know what life is going to bring us. We don't know what's going to happen." I sighed. "If there's one thing that I do know for certain right now is that I want to marry Sydney. I don't care how young I am. I just need to know that she's going to spend the rest of my life with me."

Weiss paused for a moment, nodding his head in agreement. I didn't blame him for freaking out on me nor was I mad. But, I needed him to understand what this was all about since it was the single most important decision I was about to make in my life.

"I get it." Weiss suddenly broke the silence.

"You get it?"

"Yeah… at first I thought you were just acting crazy. But after you said what you said and seeing it in your eyes right now, I know that you really want to do this. And I have to say, I'm so happy for you and Syd. You guys deserve each other."

"Thanks Weiss." I told him, pulling him into one of those manly half handshake, half hug sort of thing.

I felt overwhelmed the minute I entered the jewelry store. The workers at the counter looked at me like I was a lost little boy while Weiss strutted around the cases, commenting on the diamond earrings and how he wanted them so he could look like 50 cent.

I slowly walked up to where I guessed the rings were, bending down to stare closely at the glass case. I had no idea what I was looking for or what Syd wanted. I always figured I'd go to some jewelry shop, see a ring, and know it's the one for her.

"May I help you, sir?" One of the employees asked, standing behind the ring case.

"Yes… umm… I'm actually looking for an engagement ring. I'm proposing to my girlfriend." I answered shyly.

"Is there anything particular that you're looking for?" She questioned while beginning to take out several trays of rings.

"Not really. Just something that will pop out at me." Looking for Weiss, I motioned over to him to come help me out. "Weiss, get over here." I yelled.

"Ok, so the first thing I should ask you is your budget. It will be easier if you know how much you want to spend or what you can spend…"

"Oh, I'm not on a budget." I said, shaking my head.

"What? Dude… engagement rings are expensive. You should be on a budget." Weiss instructed.

"No Weiss, seriously." I sighed.

Pulling him over to the side, I explained to him what I had been keeping secret for most of my life. Before my father died, he set up a fund for me and had it written in his will that when I turned 18, I could use the money for whatever I wanted.

I didn't know till I was older how much money my dad really put into it, but I knew it was enough for me to one day support my wife and my family. Once the money was available to me, I didn't want anything extravagant or fancy. It had been untouched ever since the day my dad died.

I also didn't want to be one of those spoiled rich brats, buying anything and everything I wanted while never having to work a day in my life. I felt wrong using the money for my pleasure knowing my father was gone and had worked hard for me.

After explaining everything to Weiss, we walked back over to the counter and began examining the rings. 1 or 2 stuck out at me in the beginning, but nothing I really wanted. I knew the rings salesman was getting frustrated with me for not being able to make up my mind, but I wanted the ring to be perfect. I figured this is the first and last time I'll ever propose to someone.

Forty minutes passed and one ring in the very back of the case had caught my eye. It looked to be a fairly big square cut diamond, surrounded in smaller diamonds with a platinum band. My breath hitched in my throat when I spotted that ring and I knew it had to be mine.

Right after the salesman pulled it out of the case and handed it to me, I knew this would cost a fortune. In Weiss' words, it was definitely 'blingin.' I liked it because it was different, non-traditional, and absolutely stunning. As soon as I touched the ring, a warm feeling spread through out my entire body. Without even asking what the price was, I said I'd take it.

"So there's like no looking back from here Mike." Weiss told me as we walked out of the store and back into the car.

"I know. I'm going to be engaged. Holy shit Sydney is going to be my fiancée!" I smiled.

"You're coming to that realization now? Quick question… since I helped you pick out the ring, does that make me your best man?"

"Well, I was going to officially ask you after I proposed to Sydney." I laughed. "But being that you brought it up, yes, this does make you my best man."  
"Sweet!" He yelled. "My first order of business as your best man is to set up that crazy bachelor party for you."

"Syd has to say yes first… and I uh, have to ask her father." I sighed.

"Oh my god, you're going to ask Jack Bristow's permission to marry his daughter?" Slapping his forehead with the back of his hand, Weiss shook his head with amusement. "Can I please be there when you ask him? Better yet, can I bring a video camera?"

"No! Besides, I'm doing it this weekend when we go down to LA. I might piss in my pants while talking to him, but I think that's better than him shooting me in the face."

**Syd's POV**

Vaughn seemed jittery the whole time on the plane ride. His knee shook with anticipation and his noticeably sweaty palms were warm while encased in my hands. I knew Vaughn never liked flying on planes and thought he was just going through a little anxiety. But, I had never seen him act like this.

Half way through the flight, I finally asked him if he was ok. He seemed distant, not really paying attention to my concerns, but immediately dismissed them saying he was just overly excited to see his mother.

We landed in LA at 8:30, picking up our luggage at the baggage claim and getting in line for a taxi. I insisted on calling my father to come pick us up, but Vaughn said he didn't want to bother my dad. Half of me believed in him, the other half thought Vaughn was scared of my father since the last time he saw him, my dad caught him in the kitchen with only his boxers on.

As soon as the taxi arrived at Vaughn's house, he ran out of the cab, throwing money at the driver and unlocking the front door anxiously.

"Donovan!" He screamed, picking up the pudgy bulldog from the floor and planting kisses all over his face. "I missed you Donnie. Has Aunt Trish been taking care of you?"

"Hey Vaughn? Where do you want me to put your suitcase?" I interrupted, wheeling both of our suitcases into the family room.

"Oh, I'm sorry Syd. I didn't mean to leave you there." He apologized.

Just then, Amélie appeared in the kitchen threshold, holding a hand over her mouth in shock. I almost didn't recognize her since the last time I had been home. She looked unbelievably great with her hair beginning to grow back and some more weight on her.

"Michael!" She shouted. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home? You scared the living daylights out of me!"

"I wanted to surprise you." He laughed. "Wow mom, you look amazing."

"Thank you sweetheart. Now come over here and give your mother a hug."

They embraced for a good minute while I stood off in the corner, admiring the love between the two. Amélie dabbed at her eyes after pulling back from Vaughn, the joy of seeing him obviously being a bit overwhelming for her.

I could see the tears in Vaughn's eyes begin to well up as he looked at his mom for the first time in months and noticed the vast improvement in her health. Just like me, Vaughn couldn't get over how much more healthier she looked. It was almost like she wasn't sick at all.

"Where's Aunt Trish? I want to say hi to her." Vaughn questioned while looking around the house.

"She had a dinner date with some friends. She'll be home later. I'm just finishing up a late dinner so you guys go put your stuff down." Amélie informed us.

"Mom, it's ok. You don't have to cook for us if you're tired. Syd and I can get food on our own."

"Oh, Michael that is nonsense! You two are never a burden on me." She argued.

After setting down our stuff, I called my dad to tell him I was home before going out into the backyard with Vaughn. Amélie insisted on inviting my dad to dinner, but he informed me that he was working late and wouldn't be home until 10:30.

Pushing the sliding door open, I could see Vaughn relaxing in one of the lawn chairs and staring up into the dark, night sky. I pulled my sweater tighter around my body, suddenly feeling a bit chilly from the light breeze.

Vaughn smiled when he saw me, gesturing me to come sit with him. Instead of pulling up a second chair, I collapsed on his lap, wrapping my arms around his body and laying my head in the crook of his neck. I sighed contently after inhaling his unique scent.

"Your mom looks great, you know. I can't get over it." I told him, lightly running my hands over his bare arms.

"I know. She seems happy too. She's gone through so much Syd, yet she always manages to be smiling and cheerful. She's amazing." He sighed.

"Yeah… just like you."

Looking up into his eyes, I slowly leaned forward until his lips were pressed against mine in a sweet kiss. I began planting kisses around his face, along his jaw, and finally against his neck. Vaughn let out a laugh as I continued my assault on his neck.

"What… are… you giggling… at?" I asked still nipping at his neck.

"Nothing. It's just, you know, I feel like a little kid again with my girlfriend giving me a hickey in my backyard while my mom is inside." He laughed, threading his hands through my hair.

"Yeah? Are you complaining?" I paused.

"No… oh god no…"

Giggling at his refusal, I slipped my hands behind his back to caress the exposed patch of skin right above his jeans. He gasped at first contact, my cold hands surprising him a bit. We continued our mini make out session until Amélie called us in for dinner. The both of us promising to later finish what we started in the backyard.

"Oh there you two are. Go ahead and dig in. I'm just going to open up a bottle of wine." Amélie informed us, gesturing us towards the kitchen table.

"You made my favorite!" Vaughn yelled excitedly as he anxiously grabbed his fork.

"Of course. Anything for my son while he's home."

I could tell why the fettuccini was Vaughn's favorite since it was one of the most delicious homemade meals I had ever tasted. Twirling it around my fork, I laughed at Vaughn for practically inhaling his whole plate and getting up for seconds.

Vaughn and I had both only noticed Amélie's have full plate long after we had finished ours. She sat quietly at the edge of the kitchen table, staring into her plate and picking at the inside of her garlic bread. She looked lost in thought as her fingertips lightly drummed against the wooden table.

"Mom? Are you ok? You didn't eat much." Vaughn asked concerned.

"What? I'm sorry… yes Michael I'm fine. I still haven't gotten my appetite back yet. It's slowly coming back, but it's hard for me to finish my meals. The doctor said it takes time." She said quietly.

Just then, the front door creaked open and loud footsteps could be heard from the kitchen. Vaughn's Aunt Trish appeared in the doorway seconds later carrying a box of pie from Baker's Square. She smiled broadly once she saw Vaughn, almost dropping the pie in excitement.

"Michael! Oh Michael, when did you get home? How is my handsome, most favorite nephew doing?" She shouted, embracing him tightly.

"I'm great. Just came home to visit you and mom. How are you? Ohh, you brought home pie!" He gasped as he pulled open the lid to see what was inside. "French silk? Oh Aunt Trish you are the best."

"You and your bottomless stomach, Michael." She laughed.

Turning to me, she finally realized I had been sitting there. Pulling my arms up to give me a long, tight hug.

"Sydney! How wonderful it is to see you. I was just asking Amélie how the two of you were doing. Good it seems. You and my nephew look like you are extremely happy."

"Yes, we are. Vaughn is… he's… the greatest boyfriend I could ever ask for." I said, finally being able to find the words I was looking for.

"Well aren't you two just the cutest." She sighed. "Let me go get a knife so I can cut this pie. I brought it home for Amélie to celebrate!"

**Vaughn's POV**

I stood there with my brow furrowed, staring intently at my mother. Celebration? Celebration of what, I thought. It wasn't her birthday… I was confused out of my mind trying to figure out what my aunt and mother were supposed to be celebrating tonight.

"Celebration? Celebration of what?" I asked curiously.

"Amélie, you didn't tell them?" My aunt gasped.

"Tell us what? Mom?"

"I was going to." My mother spoke up. "But they just got in the door no more than an hour ago and I wanted to feed them dinner first."

"Mom, what is it?" I asked again as I anxiously waited her answer.

"Michael… I… I found out this morning… my cancer is going into remission." She said quietly.

I stood there shocked at first, the words echoing through my mind but not being absorbed. Flashbacks of what my mother had gone through in the past year flooded my mind as tears sprung to my eyes.

My mother's cancer was in remission. She was finally being cured. After everything she had experienced, the chemotherapy, sickness, surgery, near death experience, and radiation, she had finally made it.

"Oh mom!" I sobbed, breaking down completely and falling into her arms like I had done so many times when I was a little boy. The emotion was too much for us to take as we cried and held each other in our arms.

"I know sweetheart." She sobbed. "I'm going to be ok."

It took a few moments for me to calm down and the tears to stop streaming down my face. It was the best news I could've ever received. I suddenly realized that all of the pain my mother and I had gone through during her treatment was now worth it.

Sydney herself was also crying through my mom's announcement. She of all people had gone through almost just as much pain that we had gone through. After she exited the room, I turned to my mother, excited about telling her what I was going to do.

"Mom, I have to tell you something." I said, turning to face her on the couch.

"Hmm, what is it?"

"Well, I made the decision a couple of days ago… that… I'm going to ask Sydney to marry me." I finally let out.

"Are you serious?" My mother choked.

"Yes. I bought the ring yesterday with Weiss. I'm going to propose to her when we get back to San Francisco."

"Michael…" She sighed.

"I know mom. I know what you're going to say. You're going to say that we're too young and that we don't know what we want. But I do. I want Sydney to be my wife and I've never been surer about anything in my life. I love her." I confessed.

"Michael, I wasn't going to say that. I know how much you and Sydney love each other. I can see how happy she makes you. I was just going to tell you how wonderful I think it is." She told me, squeezing my hand reassuringly. "I wish your father was still here for this. He'd be so proud of you."

"Thank you mom."

I was nervous as we drove to Syd's house. So nervous I thought I was going to pass out. Asking Jack Bristow for his daughter's hand in marriage wasn't an easy task, but it was something I knew I had to do.

Pulling up to Syd's house, I helped her unload her luggage while she opened the front door and threw herself into her father's arms. Despite Jack looking tired from what I assumed was a long day at work, he looked happy to see the both of us.

"Sydney! You look beautiful. How's school? Keeping up the grades?" He asked after giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Thanks dad. School's great. The grades our fine." She responded.

"Michael, it's good to see you." He told me, firmly shaking my hand.

"Good to see you too Jack."

After sitting down in the family room with Syd and Jack, discussing school and my mother's big announcement, Syd excused herself and asked me if she could break the good news to Weiss and Francie on the phone. Without hesitation I told her it was fine, thinking this would be a great opportunity to ask Jack the big question.

I took a deep breath after Syd left the room. Beads of sweat were now beginning to drop down my head as I built up the courage inside of myself to speak to Jack. With one final deep breath, I looked him in the eyes and spoke.

"Jack? I need to ask you something."

**Reviews are welcomed and appreciated!**


	48. PART II Chapter 22

**FINAL CHAPTER! AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE-**

PART II- Chapter 22.

**Vaughn's POV**

"Jack? I need to ask you something." I finally spoke.

Now that I had finally spoke, I immediately wanted to take it back. Forget it. I didn't want to ask Jack Bristow anymore. His stern face and tense posture made me want to high tail it out the door, forgetting that I ever wanted to ask him anything.

I was extremely close to dismissing the whole tradition of asking the father of the bride for her hand in marriage. I always thought it was the right thing to do. That was, until this moment where I was about to piss in my pants or vomit on his clean looking shoes.

"Yes? Michael go ahead." He answered back.

Mustering up all the courage inside of me and clearing my throat so I wouldn't sound like a complete idiot with a squeaky voice, I began to speak.

"I want to ask you… if I could have your permission… to marry your daughter." I said flinching, expecting knives to be thrown at me at any moment.

"You what?" He gasped.

Yes, Jack Bristow gasped. I didn't even think Jack showed enough emotion to gasp. Jack wasn't really the gasping type. But he gasped alright. He was shocked almost as nearly as much as I was.

"I, uh, I want to propose to Sydney with your permission." I repeated myself again.

"Mr. Vaughn, clearly you have become delusional, maybe even downright insane to want to marry Sydney at your age and to even think I would agree on it." He said angrily.

"No, Jack. You don't understand." I argued.

"Then make me. Sydney is gone on the phone. If you want my approval, you better damn well have a good explanation for whatever the hell is going on in that head of yours." Jack spat.

"Listen…" I sighed. "I'm not even going to attempt to understand what you're feeling, but I think I know. No guy will ever be good enough for Syd and even I understand that. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I watch her sleep. And I lie there thinking she is the most amazing person I have ever met in my life and how in god's good grace did I deserve to have her."

Jack watched me intently, listening to every word that came out of my mouth. He didn't respond, but nodded in unison with me, a good sign that he agreed.

"But I do have her. And I know you think that I won't be able to support her or that we're too young, unsure, not really knowing what we're doing. But seriously Jack, I've never been surer about anything in my life. I love your daughter. And I will do everything in my power protect her, love her, and make her just as happy as she has made me for the rest of our lives."

Jack stayed silent for several minutes leaving me standing in front of him, sweat pouring non-stop from my forehead. Those two agonizing long minutes of silence seemed like years with my heart pounding in my ears.

"That was quite a speech you had there Michael." Jack said quietly, finally breaking the silence.

"Well, I think I had a whole other one planned, but the words kind of just flowed out of my mouth. I think I covered everything." I laughed nervously.

"You did well." He murmured. "Listen Michael. I can't say that I'm all too thrilled about this, but I do know you love my daughter. I've known that for a long time. And you coming into my household and asking me first if you could marry her showed a lot of courage. You just have to promise me one thing."

"Anything Jack."

"I need you to promise me that you're going to take care of Sydney. If you ever… ever… do anything to harm my only daughter, I will personally make you pay." He said sternly.

"I would never, sir. She means too much to me."

"Ok then." He sighed. "Welcome to the family."

I let out a sigh of relief as a million pounds felt like it was being lifted off of my back. Jack had given me his approval, whether he agreed with it or not, and nothing pleased me more. In all honesty, I was ready to propose to Syd no matter what Jack were to say. But I wanted to try my best anyway.

Sydney returned to the room a few minutes later, giggling to herself with a huge smile on her face. Walking over to me, she wrapped her arms around my waist while planting a soft kiss on my lips. I could see Jack flinch at our closeness, but smirked shortly after, obviously noticing how happy Syd looked.

"Weiss and Fran say hi." She told me. "They were thrilled to hear about your mom and said to give her hugs for them."

"Yeah? What are they up to?" I asked, bring both of my arms to wrap tightly around her body.

"Nothing I think. Weiss' mouth was filled with ice cream when I called, but other than that, Fran said they were staying in tonight." Pulling away to look up at me she asked, "So what were you guys talking about when I was gone?"

"Oh, ummm." I stuttered, not knowing what to say.

"Michael and I were just discussing school." Jack lied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm exhausted from a long day of work so I'll be heading to bed now. I'll see you two in the morning."

Jack eyed me up before disappearing into my room, giving me the evil eye as to say, 'Keep your hands off of my daughter under the roof of my house.' After what happened a few months ago with Jack giving me a surprise visit in the kitchen, I sure as hell wasn't going to risk that again.

With Sydney gone with her father the next day, I spent that Saturday afternoon with my mother, catching up and having a nice pool side lunch with her in our backyard. Aunt Trish was out once again, going dancing with her friends.

My mom and I had a long discussion about school and what my plans were after college. Mostly she just wanted to know if I was going to move back home or stay in San Francisco. I knew my mother missed me and I always wanted to be close to home.

Talking about the future of course led to the discussion of Sydney. My heart jumped at just the mention of her name, making me want to grab my cell phone just to call her. My mom's eyes lit up when asking about the ring.

"You know, I'll never forget the day your father proposed to me." She sighed, examining her wedding ring in the bright light of the sun.

Even after my father passed away she continued to wear it. A constant reminder of her love for him and the years they spent together. There wasn't a day since he slipped the ring on her finger where she took it off.

"So… where did you get the ring, sweetheart?" She questioned. "How much was it? Did Eric help you?"

"Yes, Eric helped me. I got it at a jeweler's in San Francisco. It was pricey to say the least. But mom it's perfect and absolutely stunning. I know Syd's going to love it."

Pulling out the velvet box from the pants pocket, I opened the lid to show my mother. She gasped looking at the ring before picking up the box and lightly touching it with her fingers. I had looked at the ring almost every hour of everyday since the day I bought it, but I still hadn't gotten over how beautiful it was.

"Oh Michael it's incredible!" She shouted. "Michael C. Vaughn how much did this cost you?"

"A lot. But mom, don't worry about it."

"You used your father's fund?" She asked, looking up from the ring.

"Yes. I wasn't going to because you know I hate using that money, but I wanted the most beautiful ring for Sydney and I couldn't afford it on my own." I said quietly.

"Michael, your father set that fund up for you to spend it on whatever you want. That's your money to use so don't feel guilty." My mother reassured me.

"I know…" I sighed.

"So how are you going to propose? Please don't say at a hockey game…"

"No!" I laughed. "I'm not going to propose at a hockey game. Even though I like the idea of that, I figured I'm going to do something more romantic."

"Like what?" She inquired curiously.

"I'm not sure yet. But it's our one-year anniversary on Tuesday. I was thinking about a picnic on the beach with candles and roses. With the water in the background and soft music playing, it should set the mood."

"You have your father's romantic side." She smiled.

I could feel the blush creeping up on my face. I had always prided myself in being a manly man. I liked watching sports with a beer in my hand a pizza on the table. I worked out everyday, lifting weights, working on my abs, and running until my lungs would burst. Action movies, fast cars, and of course sex were all in my interests.

But, Sydney Bristow possessed some sort of power over me, turning me into this ridiculously romantic sap that would do anything for my girlfriend. Weiss constantly mocked me about my tendencies to cater Syd's every need. But, I had no problem with it. I love Syd and her coming into my life was one of the best things that had ever happened to me.

I said another tearful goodbye to my mother again on Sunday morning. But this time, it wasn't tears of sadness. It was tears of pure happiness as I told her I loved her and was so proud of her getting through her sickness. Unlike the last time, I left without any worry or guilt.

After wishing me luck on the big proposal, I swung over to Syd's house to pick her up. For the first time in Syd and mine's relationship, I wasn't afraid of Jack. Ever since asking him for his blessing, he seemed pleased with me, giving me more respect. I guess he underestimated the courage I had to ask him in the first place.

Syd was already in the car when Jack approached me in the driveway, loading Syd's luggage in the back of my trunk.

"It was good seeing you Jack." I told him, reaching out my hand to shake his.

"You too, Michael."

An awkward silence fell over the both of us, neither one of us knowing what to say or do next. Finally Jack broke the silence.

"I just wanted to say congratulations before you guys left." He stated.

"Congratulations? Well… Syd has to say yes first." I joked, laughing lightly.

"She will. I know my daughter and I know that she loves you."

"Thank you Jack. That means a lot to me."

"Take care of her, son. She's the only one I've got."

Nodding my head one more time, I patted Jack on the back before jumping in the driver's seat to head to the airport. I couldn't wait to get home and get my plan in order. The anticipation gave me a tingly feeling throughout my whole body and I knew I was ready to do this.

**Syd's POV**

When I awoke Tuesday morning, red rose petals surrounded the whole room. They sat scattered on the bed, dresser, and floor, with a big bouquet of yellow and red roses sitting in a vase on top of the TV. I rolled over to Vaughn's side of the bed, expecting him to be there with a smile on his face. Instead, the side of his bed was cold and empty.

Stretching my arms over my head, I slipped out of bed, throwing on Vaughn's sweatshirt in the process. I padded over to the TV seeing a card inserted in the bouquet of roses. Inhaling deeply, I noticed the red and yellow roses incorporated amongst each other. Immediately I knew what they both represented, Friendship and Love.

I couldn't wait to open the card so I quickly slid my finger under the envelope and began reading.

_Syd-_

_To my best friend and girlfriend, Happy One Year Anniversary! Meet me tonight at Ft. Miley at 7pm for dinner. Have Weiss drive you. I'll be waiting there patiently. _

_I love you-_

_Vaughn_

I giggled to myself, feeling like a little girl with my hand covering my mouth. Expecting Vaughn to be out in the kitchen, I walked out of my room and searched for him. To my surprise, Weiss and Francie were the only ones there.

"Where's Vaughn?" I asked curiously.

"He left about an hour ago for class."

"Oh." I sighed. "I got his note and I wanted to blow off my classes and spend time with him."

Picking up a stray piece of toast from the kitchen counter, I stuck the jelly-smeared bread in my mouth, chewing loudly.

"Weiss, I have to go meet Vaughn at Ft. Miley tonight at 7pm and it said you had to drive me?"

"Yes." Weiss answered. "He gave me instructions before we left."

"Do you know what he's planning?" I suddenly got excited.

"Sort of. And no we're not telling you."

I eyed Francie suspiciously, noticing the big smirk on her face. I knew that she knew. I also knew that Francie was one of those people who would easily give up a secret if you bribed them a little. Thinking up a plan in my head, Fran must've read my mind and gave me a warning.

"Seriously Syd, I'm not going to tell you so don't even try and get it out of me." She laughed.

A little bummed that I couldn't see Vaughn or spend the day with him, I reluctantly got dressed and went to class. Before walking into my lit class, I gave his cell a ring hoping he would pick up. Instead, his voicemail blared loudly into my phone.

I knew tonight was going to be special, but I couldn't help but feel crabby without seeing Vaughn. Going a whole day without seeing his gorgeous face almost made me want to cry. But, I tried my best to keep my mind off if it, figuring time would fly faster if I stopped looking at the clock.

When 5pm finally rolled around, I quickly jumped into the shower and began applying my makeup. After my long, hot shower, Weiss poked his head in to tell me to dress warm but didn't let anything else slip from the plan.

I was actually proud of Weiss and Fran for not letting a word slip out about whatever Vaughn was up to tonight. Usually one of them, or both, would break under pressure and eventually let out the truth. But, they kept their mouths shut and I didn't bother them. I supposed if I could wait all the way till 5pm, I could wait another two hours for my surprise.

"Weiss! It's 6:45! Let's go." I yelled after exiting my room.

"Ok, ok. Hold your horses Syd." He laughed, grabbing his keys off the kitchen table.

"I'm sorry. It's just… I haven't seen Vaughn all day and I'm eager to find out what he planned."

"Wait!" Fran shouted before I got the chance to walk out the front door.

Barreling towards me, she threw her arms around my neck and embraced me in a tight hug. I laughed at her odd behavior.

"Um, Fran. I'm coming back later you know." I joked, after pulling out of our hug.

"I know. I just wanted to congratulate you." She told me excitedly.

"Congratulate me? On what?"

"On your one year anniversary with Vaughn, of course!" Weiss answered for her, throwing an arm around Fran's shoulders.

"Oh… thanks! It's been one the best years of my life." I sighed contently.

The sun was just about to set once we arrived at the top of Ft. Miley. I myself had never been there before, but Vaughn had and raved about the view. With the wind blowing lightly in my face, I said a quick goodbye to Weiss after telling me to follow the steep dirt path.

Vaughn's car was the lone car parked in the big, dirt parking lot. Waving one last time to Weiss, I made my way down the path, dodging branches and stumbling over rocks. I was beginning to think I would never make it to Vaughn.

Finally, when the brush cleared, my breath hitched in my throat at the site before me. There, stood Vaughn in a black suit with a navy blue tie, a candle lit picnic set up on the ground. Behind him stood the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge with the cliff looking over the calm blue waters of the San Francisco Bay. The setting was absolutely perfect.

"Oh my god… Vaughn." I squeaked out, walking over to him and practically attacking his mouth.

"Well hello to you too." He laughed, kissing me back.

"Where have you been today?" I slugged him in the shoulder. "I was miserable without you."

"I was setting up this. What do you think?"

"It's absolutely gorgeous." I sighed. "Happy Anniversary."

"Happy Anniversary to you too." He told me as he leaned in for another kiss.

Taking my hand, he pulled me onto the big red blanket and began unpacking the contents inside the basket. First came the bottle of red wine, then the salad, bread, and finally two big plates of crab ravioli's that happened to be one of my favorite meals in the world.

It was the sweetest gesture anyone had ever done for me and I had to refrain myself from forgetting about the food and pushing Vaughn down on the blanket. Halfway through the meal he admitted Weiss helped him cook the ravioli's, confessing that he wasn't the greatest cook in the world.

We ate and finished our meals in a comfortable silence, neither of us wanting to break the perfection of the night and the quiet atmosphere. When all of the food was gone, Vaughn put everything back inside the basket while I wrapped myself in an extra blanket.

"I feel underdressed you know. I didn't know you were going to be in a tie. I would've dressed up for you." I told him, inviting him to come sit next to me.

"Yeah, but then you would've been freezing."

"True." I sighed. "You look gorgeous by the way."

"Why thank you. That's what I was going for."

Choosing to sit behind me, he wrapped his arms around my body while laying his chin on my shoulder. I could feel him nuzzling my neck and planting soft kisses on my temple while I played with the sleeves of his suit jacket.

After cuddling with him and stealing kisses under the soft glow of the moonlight, Vaughn released me from his embrace and stood up. I looked up at him curiously, not knowing why he wanted to move since we seemed so comfortable.

He reached down for my hand, pulling me up to stand with him. Before I could ask what he was doing, he leaned in for a soft kiss, brushing his lips against mine. Resting our foreheads against each other's, I stared into his deep green eyes, falling in love with him all over again.

Suddenly, Vaughn placed his two hands on my hips and bent down on one knee.

"Oh my god, Vaughn…" I gasped, the tears already flooding my eyes.

"Syd, I've known you for practically my whole life. We grew up together, best friends, almost always inseparable. Along the way I fell in love with you. I don't remember the exact time that I did, but ever since the hormones kicked in during the 7th grade that's when the feelings started to grow."

I laughed, trying hard not to cry as he grabbed both of my hands with his.

"Every day that I wake up, I thank god that you're here in my life. Sometimes I don't even know how lucky I am to have you with me, but everyday I am overwhelmed by how amazing you are. With everything that has happened this year… everything that has happened in our lives, it has made me realize how crazy life is and how we take it for granted."

Vaughn paused for a moment, a couple of tears slipping from his eyes while he tried to hold back his emotions.

"What I'm trying to say is that I love you Syd. I love you more than anything else in the world. We don't know what insane obstacle life is going to throw at us again or what's going to happen. The only thing I do know is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Mostly everyone has been telling me that I'm crazy for wanting to marry this early and that we're not going to make it. But I know this is what I want. This is where I want to be. Whatever life may bring us, I know I'll be ok if you're by my side."

Pulling out a small velvet box from his pocket, he flipped it open revealing the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.

"Sydney Bristow… will you marry me?" He choked out.

"Yes!" I screamed, tears flowing down my cheeks.

Helping Vaughn up, I immediately grabbed his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss, wanting to show him exactly how much I loved him. When we finally pulled away, he slipped the ring on my finger, the both of us admiring how stunning it looked.

"Oh Vaughn…" I gasped, still sobbing out of pure happiness.

"Don't cry Syd." He laughed as he held me. "So… now that you're my fiancée, are you going to call me Michael?"

"No. You're always going to be Vaughn to me." I joked back.

Finally pulling out from Vaughn's embrace, I immediately called Francie and Weiss to scream into the phone that Vaughn and I were engaged. Vaughn called his mother shortly after as Amélie cried into the phone. That last phone call went to my father who held back his emotions while I could sense his voice cracking on the other line. He seemed unusually thrilled with us, telling me how much respect he had for Vaughn.

After our emotions were under control and the realization that I was going to marry Michael Vaughn registered in my mind, we both resumed our positions on the blanket. Every other minute I checked my left hand to see if the ring was still there, to make sure this wasn't all some fairy tale type dream.

I sat there with Vaughn's arms around me, inhaling his unique scent and constantly planting kisses around his face and neck. I began to take in the fact that I was going to have his arms around me until the day I died.

"So what happens next?" I asked Vaughn quietly, picking up his hand to place a kiss on his knuckles.

"Just the rest of our lives Syd."

**THE END**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-  
**_First off, I'd just like to thank all of my faithful readers... whether you reviewed or not, just taking the time to read my story means a lot to me. A big thank you to all of my reviewers! Your kind words and encouragement kept me writing throughout this story. If it weren't for you guys, I probably wouldn't have finished this story. The response I received was overwhelming and I couldn't be more grateful._

I don't know if I'll write a sequel or if I'm going to write another story. I personally don't think I'm anywhere near all those wonderful fic writers out there, to be honest. This was just something I started when I was home from college in the winter and was bored. It'll be nice to have a break from writing for once since I managed to update this fic every week since December! Hehe.

So thank you again to everyone who's reading this. You guys are the best! Maybe I'll be writing again soon. :)

Timeisonyourside


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